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Soyabean: Best protein source for vegetarian India
Monday, 10 October, 2011, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
Hasan Mulani
In India, food is recognised as an important factor in healthy living and also a substance which can prevent or manage many lifestyle-related problems.

According to Technopak Advisors, the domestic food industry in India is estimated to reach Rs 95,382 crore by 2012. The processed food market is projected to be over Rs 33,234 crore - in which food ingredients is likely to play an important role to boost demand and market size in the country.

Further, factors like new food law (FSS Act) which has come into force recently, frequent health notifications from ministry of food processing in India (MoFPI), food & drug administration (FDA) and others have swayed the food processors to seek quality and healthy food ingredients for processing. Former consultant of the American Soyabean Association - International Marketing (ASA - IM) assures that the second decade of the 21st century will see phenomenal growth in the use of finest food ingredients, particularly soyabean in India. As majority of Indians are vegetarian - soyabean becomes primary source of getting 16 to 18 types of proteins and other vital vitamins.

The ASA - IM is a global network of international offices to create and sustain demand for the US soyabean and soyabean products across the world.

"The current health awareness will help persuade the masses to accept soyabean and its product in their daily diet. On the one hand, India has become homeland for many fatal diseases like diabetes, heart attacks, obesity, cancer and asthma and, on the other, the country registers rapid urbanisation, emergence of rural economy and organised food retail, increase in disposable income, changing lifestyles, changes in food consumption patterns," says, Thaper. At present, he is the treasurer for Poultry Federation of India (PFI).

"India hosted Cricket World Cup, IPL 4, CWG 2011 and other international sports events. Here the soya protein providers have a plethora of scope as athletes require protein to muscle their stamina. As well, this country is largely being a vegetarian country - soya protein will help obtain the daily protein intake through non-animal source. Many researchers have found that soya protein has an upper hand compared to egg protein or milk protein," Suresh Itapu, consultant for Solae, producer of soya-based technologies and ingredients, told F&B News on the sidelines of one of the food conferences held recently.

Health benefits

Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids: Many international food scientists claim that soyabean consist special fat components that benefit many body functions. Some beneficial effects are also associated mainly with the longer-chain fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3, EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA) found in some algae and oily fish.

In addition, soyabean oil also has a better Omega-3: Omega6 ratio of 1:7, much higher than other vegetable cooking oils. According to Thaper, soyabean is one of the very few plants which provide a high quality protein with minimum saturated fat. Soyabean-based products help people feel better and live longer with an enhanced quality of life. Soyabean-rich protein ingredients provide all essential amino acids in the amounts needed for human health.

Almost 40 per cent of the calories from soyabeans are derived from protein, making it higher in protein than any other legumes and animal products. In addition to the rich nutrients, soyabean ingredients have other beneficial compounds such as phytosterols, lecithins and phenolic acids.

"The wide variety of soya foods will help consumers meet Dietary Guidelines issued by the National Institute of Nutrition that call for eating foods like soya that are high in fibre, Omega-3 fatty acids, key vitamins and minerals and lower in saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories."

"Today, soya-based ingredients have been found to have a number of health benefits such as reducing the risk of heart diseases, cancer and osteoporosis, alleviating menopause problems and managing diabetes. Soyabean ingredients consumption also improves the nutritional status of children with a positive impact on anthropometrics and cognitive characteristics. Also, studies conducted in India suggest that soya can efficiently alleviate malnutrition," Thaper informed.



Production

Globally, about 85% of the world's soyabean crop is processed into soyabean meal and vegetable oil. Currently, India is the fourth largest edible oil economy and fifth largest producer of soyabean in the world. Soyabean is mainly produced in MP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, AP, and Karnataka.



(Source: The Soyabean Processors Association of India)

As reported by the Soyabean Processors Association of India, during 2009 national acreage under soyabean slightly increased to 96.709 lakh hectares from 96.242 lakh hectares in 2008. However, due to late arrival of monsoon resulting delayed planting, national productivity of soyabean is estimated to be 1006 kg per hectare against 1124 kg per hectare, in 2008. Accordingly, the estimated national production of soyabean during 2009 would be 93.08 lakh tonnes compared to 96.42 lakh tonnes during 2008, resulting in about 10 per cent decline. During 2007-08, India produced nearly 95 lakh tonnes soyabean.

Dawood Mujawar, a soyabean-grower from Satara district, near Pune, said, "The average yield of soyabean in India is less compared to other countries. Therefore, the greatest challenge in India is to increase the average yield of soyabean. This would mean doubling of the production to about 12 million tonnes from the same 9.5 million hectare cultivated area - a net increase of about US$2 bn per annum. The other challenges include exploitation of biotechnological innovations in crop management using herbicide-tolerant soyabeans and diversification of soyabean uses through the development of high-value and health-oriented food products. A lot of hardwork is needed, but it is possible."

The New Delhi-based National Productivity Council said that though India is the fourth largest oilseed producing country in the world, next only to the US, China and Brazil, our share in world production of soyabean is only 3%.

Research & Development

For many years, soyabean have been primarily identified with their high protein and oil content. Yet, for the past decade, there has been much interest among medical researchers in elucidating the health benefits of direct human consumption of soybeans as food.

Recently, food scientists - R Padmini, Annamma Anil, Arvind M Lali, from department of biotechnology, Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT) Mumbai - have done research on "protein isolation from defatted soyameal."

"In our study, we have attempted a strategy for efficient extraction, concentration and of proteins from defatted soya flakes that ensures the quality of protein products produced, thereof in each step. The chemo-enzymatic extraction process followed by separation of insoluble material and soluble anti-nutritional factors like protease inhibitors and isoflavones content yield Soya Protein Isolate (SPI) containing more than 90% protein on total dry matter basis," the food scientists informed.

Defatted soya flakes were procured from local soya oil producing company has been used in this study.



Additionally, other scientific studies also seek to bring new soyabean food categories like soya-based dri
 
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