Evaluation of the quality of whole bean tofu prepared from high-speed homogenized soy flour

Abstract

In this study, whole bean tofu (WBT) was manufactured by high-speed crushing with calcium sulfate as the coagulant. Then the features of whole bean tofu were compared with commercially available calcium sulfate and lactone tofu in terms of color, water-holding capacity, textural properties, gel structure, aroma composition, moisture distribution, and sensory evaluation. The results revealed that whole bean tofu possessed a greater variety and complexity of aroma components than the two types of tofu produced via the traditional process. Meanwhile, water holding capacity did not significantly differ between the two types of commercially available tofu (p > 0.05). In addition, the gel structure was marginally weaker than traditional tofu, and the color of the product was closer to that of soybean, primarily attributed to the absence of bean residue. The sensory evaluation confirmed from the consumer's perspective that WBT had delicate color and flavor as well as elastic characteristics. Collectively, these findings demonstrated whole bean tofu production using high-speed crushing could enhance the nutritional value of tofu and minimize resource waste.