Soybean is an important source of food, protein, and oil, and hence more research is essential to increase its yield under different conditions, including stress.
Soybean is an important source of food, protein, and oil, and hence more research is essential to increase its yield under different conditions, including stress. The most important countries in the world with the highest rate of soybean production include the USA, Brazil, Argentina, China, and India.
Due to its major position as one of the more important crops, more research into soybean management can contribute to a better understanding of its production. With respect to the importance of soybean production worldwide, its production must be evaluated from different perspectives, including its symbiosis with soil microbes.
Many crop species, including soybeans, a major source of oil, are found associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobia. However, other beneficial rhizospheric microorganisms have also been tested, applied, and used as biofertilizers.
Microbial interactions may have important functions in soybean production and health. It is also important to evaluate the abiotic factors that interact with the growth and yield of this crop.
A better knowledge of the wide variation in abiotic and biotic parameters is important for understanding the ecology of the soybean system and for management purposes.
Evaluation of soybean production worldwide can improve our understanding of the effects of different factors affecting the growth and yield of soybeans globally. Enhancing soybean response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Soybean is among the most important leguminous plants and is a major source of food, protein, and oil, feeding a large number of people in the world.
It can develop a symbiotic association with its specific nitrogen-fixing bacterium, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, and acquire most of its essential nitrogen for growth and yield production. However, both the plant and the bacterium are subjected to different kinds of biotic and abiotic stresses, such as salinity, pathogens, drought, heavy metals, suboptimal root zone heat, and compaction.
Soybean, a major source of oil, and B. japonicum are not naturally tolerant to stress; however, it is possible to enhance their tolerance under stress using biotechnological and molecular methods and techniques.
Accordingly, to develop tolerant plant and bacterial species, their responses must be examined under stress, the related molecular and signalling pathways evaluated, and suitable methods and techniques to enhance soybean and rhizobium responses under stress determined.
Soybean Use as Food:
Soybean foods are popular throughout Asia, but they are especially popular in China, Japan, Korea, and possibly Indonesia. Because of China’s long history, the Chinese have had a great influence on the use of soybean foods.
As a result, many soybean foods from different countries are similar, but the details of preparing and serving such foods may vary. Some soybean foods are still unique to one area or country. In Asia, all soybeans are classified as edible. To make the beans as palatable as possible, many methods of preparation have been devised.
Not only are soybeans cooked whole, but they are processed to make such products as soybean milk, soybean curd, soybean sprouts, soybean protein and oil film, soybean flour, soy sauce, bean paste, soybean cheese, tempeh, natto, and fermented black beans. Some of these products are flavoring agents, and others are staples.
Many soybean foods are simply prepared, while others are prepared by complex fermentation processes. However, all these foods are versatile and can be served in endless ways. Information for this study was gathered from many sources, and variations in the procedures for making and serving food frequently occur, even within the same country.
Therefore, only some of the relatively simple and fundamentally sound processes with significant variations and adaptations will be presented.
Soybean Products and Their Uses
The best-known and most widely used products from soybeans are soybean oil and soybean meal. Soybean oil is the most widely used edible oil in the world and soybean meal is the leading protein and energy source for animal feeds.
Soybean oil is used as cooking oil and as the base for shortening, margarine, salad dressings, and mayonnaise. Lecithin extracted from soy oil during the refining process performs as an emulsifying agent and, when further processed, is an important ingredient in confections, baked foods, dairy products, and instant foods. Lecithin is also used in animal feed, health and nutrition products, cosmetics, and industrial coatings.
A rapidly growing market for soybean oil is found in the manufacture of a variety of pharmaceuticals, such as vitamin E and other antioxidants, as inexpensive aids to good health.
Soybean oil is also used for industrial applications such as as a basic carrier in inks, varnishes, and paints. Many soaps, lubricants, and sealants contain soybean oil. Soybean oil shows great potential as an environmentally friendly substitute for petroleum-based diesel fuel, referred to as biodiesel.
Soybean meal is considered a premium product because of its high digestibility, high energy content, and consistency.
Over 80% of the soybean meal produced in the U.S. is dehulled. Properly processed dehulled soybean meal is an excellent source of protein and is used extensively in feed for swine, poultry, fish, beef and dairy cattle, and specialty animals, including pet food. Such feeds must be formulated to fit the exact nutritional requirements for each stage of the life cycle.
Soybean meal is also used as the basis for a variety of soy protein products including soy flour, soy concentrate, soy isolates, and textured soy protein. Soy protein not only provides nutritional value and health benefits but also offers many functional properties, including emulsification, gelation, forming, and water holding capacity.
Soy flour is made from roasted soybeans that are ground into a fine powder containing 50 percent protein by weight. Soy flour comes in three forms: natural, or full fat; defatted; and lecithinated. Natural or full fat contains natural oils found in the soybean.
Defatted food has the oils removed during processing. Lecithinated foods have lecithin added. Soy flour is gluten-free, so yeast-raised breads made with soy flour are dense in texture. Soy grits are like soy flour except that the soybeans have been toasted and cracked into coarse pieces.
Soy protein concentrates are made by removing a portion of the carbohydrates from defatted and dehulled soy flakes. Concentrates are a highly digestible source of amino acids that retain most of the beans’ dietary fiber. It must contain at least 65 percent protein.
Soy protein isolates are prepared through a process using water extraction and minimal heat on soy flakes. The product is nearly carbohydrate and fat-free, with no characteristic “beany” flavor. Soy protein isolates prepared this way are 90 percent protein by dry weight, possessing the greatest amount of protein of all soy products.
They are a highly digestible source of oil and amino acids that can be added to foods without compromising flavour characteristics. Isolated soy proteins are widely used as a nutritional, functional, or economic alternative to traditional proteins.
Textured soy protein (TSP) usually refers to products made from textured soy flour and textured soy protein concentrates. It is used as a meat extender or analogue and can be added to meals to increase their protein content. TSP has a texture like ground beef or other meat products and must be rehydrated with boiling water before use.
Textured soy flour is made by running defatted soy flour through an extrusion cooker. This allows for many different forms and sizes. It contains 50 percent protein as well as the dietary fiber and soluble carbohydrates from the soybean. When hydrated, it has a chewy texture and is widely used as a meat extender. Textured soy flour is sold dried in granular and chunk form and has a bland in flavor.
Textured soy protein concentrates are made by extrusion and are found in many different forms and sizes. Textured soy protein concentrates typically contain 70 percent protein as well as the dietary fiber from the soybean. When hydrated, they have a chewy texture and contribute to the texture of meat products.
Soybeans do not always have to be cracked and flaked to have useful value, nor are they used the same way in all countries. Consumers enjoy roasted and flavored whole soynuts, soy-based milk, yogurt, cheese, protein bars, and cereals. Whole soybeans are used for traditional foods like tofu, miso, natto, tempeh, and edamame.
Nutrition Facts and Health Effects:
Soybeans are mainly composed of protein but also contain good amounts of carbs and fat. The nutrition facts for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of boiled soybeans are
Calories: 172
Water: 63%
Protein: 18.2 grams
Carbs: 8.4 grams
Sugar: 3 grams
Fiber: 6 grams
Fat: 9 grams
Saturated: 1.3 grams
Monounsaturated: 1.98 grams
Polyunsaturated: 5.06 grams
