Soy protein products and methods for producing soy protein products

Abstract

A method for producing an enzymatically stabilized soy meal containing a naturally-occurring trypsin inhibitor to produce a soluble, pleasant-tasting soy product which comprises enzymatically deactivating the trypsin inhibitors in the soy meal without using heat, and treating the soy meal makes the carbohydrates and proteins more digestible.

The invention claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for deactivating naturally occurring trypsin inhibitor in soy meal comprising: 
 (a) preparing a soy meal slurry from a full fatted soy meal; and    (b) adding a sufficient amount of trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme to said soy meal slurry to substantially deactivate said trypsin inhibitor; and    (c) waiting a sufficient period of time for said trypsin inhibitor deactivation enzyme to deactivate said trypsin inhibitor.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said soy meal has not been heated above about 65 degrees C. prior to preparation of said slurry.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said soy meal slurry is not heated above about 65 degrees C. during deactivation of said trypsin inhibitors.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said soy meal slurry is adjusted to have a pH of at least about 7.0 before the addition of said trypsin inhibitor deactivation enzyme.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said soy meal in said slurry has a PDI of at least about 50% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the said soy meal in said slurry has a PDI of at least about 60% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said soy meal in said soy slurry has a PDI of at least about 90% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
 (a) adding a sufficient amount of a hydrolyzing agent to convert substantially all oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides; and  
 (b) waiting a sufficient amount of time for said hydrolyzing agent to convert substantially all oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides.  
 
     
     
         9 . A method for enzymatically deactivating naturally occurring trypsin inhibitor in soy meal comprising the steps of: 
 (a) preparing a soy meal slurry at a temperature between 10° C. and 65° C. from a soy meal defatted by a cold extraction process; and    (b) adding a sufficient amount of trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme to said soy meal slurry to substantially deactivate said trypsin inhibitor; and    (c) waiting a sufficient period of time for said trypsin inhibitor deactivation enzyme to deactivate said trypsin inhibitor while maintaining said temperature.    
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein said soy meal has not been heated above about 65 degrees C. prior to preparation of said slurry.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein said soy meal slurry has not been heated above about 65 degrees C.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein said soy meal slurry is adjusted to have a pH of at least about 7.0 before the addition of said trypsin inhibitor deactivation enzyme.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 50% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 60% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 90% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 9  further comprising the steps of: 
 (c) adding a sufficient amount of a hydrolyzing agent to said soy meal slurry to convert substantially all oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides; and  
 (d) waiting a sufficient amount of time for said hydrolyzing agent to convert substantially all oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides.  
 
     
     
         17 . A method for enzymatically deactivating naturally occurring trypsin inhibitor in soy meal comprising the steps of: 
 (a) preparing a soy meal slurry having a basic pH; and    (b) adding a sufficient amount of trypsin inhibitor deactivation enzyme to said soy meal slurry to substantially deactivate said trypsin inhibitor; and    (c) waiting a sufficient period of time for said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme to deactivate said trypsin inhibitor.    
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein said soy meal has not been heated above about 65 degrees C. prior to preparation of said slurry.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein said soy meal slurry is not heated above about 65 degrees C. during deactivation of said trypsin inhibitors.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein the temperature of said soy meal slurry is maintained between about 20 degrees C. and about 60 degrees C. during deactivation of said trypsin inhibitor.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein said soy meal slurry is adjusted to have a pH between 3.0 and 10.0 before the addition of said trypsin inhibitor deactivation enzyme.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein said soy meal slurry is adjusted to have a pH of about 8.5 before the addition of said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme is a protease enzyme selected from the group of plant protease enzymes, fungal protease enzymes, bacterial protease enzymes, animal protease enzymes, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme is derived from a Bacillus bacteria.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme is a Bacillus protease complex consisting of ectoproteases and endoproteases.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme is a Bacillus protease complex having an activity of at least about 1.5 Anson Units per gram.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein said protease enzyme has an activity of about 2.4 Anson Units per gram.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme is added in an amount between about 0.001 and about 5 parts enzyme per 100 parts soy meal by dry weight.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme is added in an amount between about 0.6 parts enzyme per 100 parts soy meal by dry weight.  
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein the waiting period for said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme to deactivate said trypsin inhibitor is at least 1 hour.  
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein the waiting period for said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme to deactivate said trypsin inhibitor is no more 5 hours.  
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein at least about 85% of said trypsin inhibitors are deactivated.  
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein at least about 90% of said trypsin inhibitors are deactivated.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein at least about 99% of said trypsin inhibitors are deactivated.  
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein said method further comprises the step of pasteurizing said soy meal slurry after deactivating said trypsin inhibitor enzyme.  
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein said method further comprises the step of drying said soy meal slurry after pasteurizing said soy meal slurry.  
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 50% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein the wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 60% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein the wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 90% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 17  further comprising the steps of: 
 (e) adding a sufficient amount of a hydrolyzing agent to said soy meal slurry convert substantially all oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides; and  
 (f) waiting a sufficient amount of time for said hydrolyzing agent to convert substantially all oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides.  
 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein the temperature does not exceed 65 degrees C.  
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 40  further comprising the step of maintaining the temperature of said soy meal slurry between about 20 degrees C. and about 60 degrees C. during hydrolysis of said soy meal slurry.  
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 40  further comprising the step of maintaining the temperature of said soy meal slurry between about 50 degrees C. and about 55 degrees C. during hydrolysis of said soy meal slurry.  
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein said hydrolyzing agent is added in an amount between about 0.001 to about 5 parts enzyme per 100 parts soy meal by dry weight.  
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein said hydrolyzing agent is added in an amount of about 1 part enzyme per 100 parts soy meal by dry weight.  
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein the waiting period for said hydrolyzing agent to convert substantially all oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides is between at least 1 hour.  
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein the waiting period for said hydrolyzing agent to co convert substantially all oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides is no more than 5 hours.  
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein said hydrolyzing agent converts at least about 95% of the oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides.  
     
     
         49 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein said hydrolyzing agent converts at least about 99% of the oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides.  
     
     
         50 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein said hydrolyzing agent contains at least one carbohydrase enzyme.  
     
     
         51 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein said hydrolyzing agent is selected from the group consisting of fungal or bacterial alpha-galactosidases or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         52 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein said hydrolyzing agent has an alpha-galactosidase activity of about 600 GALU/g.  
     
     
         53 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein said hydrolyzing enzyme is obtained from a fungi from the  Aspergillus niger  strain.  
     
     
         54 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein said hydrolyzing agent further comprises a beta-galactosidase enzyme.  
     
     
         55 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein the pH of said slurry is maintained at a pH of 3.5-9.0 during hydrolysis.  
     
     
         56 . The method according to  claim 40  further comprising the step of separating substantially all of said monosaccharides from said soy meal slurry thereby forming a substantially monosaccharide free slurry and a monosaccharide solution.  
     
     
         57 . The method according to  claim 40  further comprising the step of separating at least about 90% of said monosaccharides from said soy meal slurry to produce a substantially monosaccharide free slurry and a monosaccharide solution.  
     
     
         58 . The method according to  claim 57  further comprising the step of pasteurizing said monosacchride free slurry.  
     
     
         59 . The method according to  claim 57  further comprising the step of drying said monosaccharide free slurry.  
     
     
         60 . The method according to  claim 57  wherein said monosaccharide solution contains isoflavones and monosaccharides and further comprising the step of separating said monosaccharides from said isoflavones.  
     
     
         61 . The method according to  claim 40  further comprising the step of pasteurizing said soy meal slurry.  
     
     
         62 . The method according to  claim 40  further comprising the step of drying said soy meal slurry.  
     
     
         63 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 50% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         64 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 60% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         65 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 90% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         66 . The method according to  claim 40  wherein said soy in said slurry has the following analysis: 
 (1) Dispersibility Index above about 65%;  
 (2) Percent Stachyose by weight less than about 0.2%; and  
 (3) Percent Raffinose by weight less than about 0.2%.  
 
     
     
         67 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein the soy meal slurry is prepared with a full fatted soy meal.  
     
     
         68 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said soy meal has not been heated above about 65 degrees C. prior to preparation of said slurry.  
     
     
         69 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said soy meal slurry is not heated above about 65 degrees C. during deactivation of said trypsin inhibitors.  
     
     
         70 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein the temperature of said soy meal slurry is maintained between about 20 degrees C. and about 60 degrees C. during deactivation of said trypsin inhibitors.  
     
     
         71 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said soy meal slurry is adjusted to have a pH of 3.0-10.0 before the addition of said trypsin inhibitor deactivation enzyme.  
     
     
         72 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said soy meal slurry is adjusted to have a pH of 8.5 before the addition of said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme.  
     
     
         73 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said soy meal slurry is adjusted to have a basic pH before the addition of said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme.  
     
     
         74 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme is a protease enzyme selected from the group of plant protease enzymes, fungal protease enzymes, bacterial protease enzymes, animal protease enzymes, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         75 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme is derived from a Bacillus bacteria.  
     
     
         76 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme is a Bacillus protease complex consisting of ectoproteases and endoproteases.  
     
     
         77 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme is a Bacillus protease complex having an activity of at least about 1.5 Anson Units per gram.  
     
     
         78 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said protease enzyme has an activity of at about 2.4 Anson Units per gram.  
     
     
         79 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme is added in an amount between about 0.001 and about 5 parts enzyme per 100 parts soy meal by dry weight.  
     
     
         80 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme is added in an amount of about 0.6 parts enzyme per 100 parts soy meal by dry weight.  
     
     
         81 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein the waiting period for said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme to deactivate said trypsin inhibitor is at least about 1 hour.  
     
     
         82 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein the waiting period for said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme is no more than 5 hours.  
     
     
         83 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein at least about 85% of said trypsin inhibitors are deactivated.  
     
     
         84 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein at least about 90% of said trypsin inhibitors are deactivated.  
     
     
         85 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein at least about 99% of said trypsin inhibitors are deactivated.  
     
     
         86 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said method further comprises the step of pasteurizing said soy meal slurry after deactivating said trypsin inhibitor enzyme.  
     
     
         87 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said method further comprises the step of drying said soy meal slurry after pasteurizing said soy meal slurry.  
     
     
         88 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said soy meal in said slurry has a PDI of at least about 50% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         89 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 60% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         90 . The method according to  claim 67  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 90% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         91 . The method according to  claim 67  further comprising the steps of: 
 (g) adding a sufficient amount of a hydrolyzing agent to said soy meal slurry to convert substantially all oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides; and  
 (h) waiting a sufficient amount of time for said hydrolyzing agent to convert substantially all oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides.  
 
     
     
         92 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein the temperature does not exceed 65 degrees C.  
     
     
         93 . The method according to  claim 91  further comprising the step of maintaining the temperature of said soy meal slurry between about 20 degrees C. and about 60 degrees C. during hydrolysis of said soy meal slurry.  
     
     
         94 . The method according to  claim 91  further comprising the step of maintaining the temperature of said soy meal slurry between about 50 degrees C. and about 55 degrees C. during hydrolysis of said soy meal slurry.  
     
     
         95 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein said hydrolyzing agent is added in an amount between about 0.001 to about 5 parts enzyme per 100 parts soy meal by dry weight.  
     
     
         96 . The method according to  claim 95  wherein said hydrolyzing agent is added in an amount of about 1 part enzyme per 100 parts soy meal by dry weight.  
     
     
         97 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein the waiting period for said hydrolyzing agent to convert substantially all oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides is at least 1 hour.  
     
     
         98 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein the waiting period for said hydrolyzing agent to convert substantially all oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides is no more than 5 hours.  
     
     
         99 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein said hydrolyzing agent converts at least about 95% of the oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides.  
     
     
         100 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein said hydrolyzing agent converts at least 99% of the oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides.  
     
     
         101 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein said hydrolyzing agent contains at least one carbohydrase enzyme.  
     
     
         102 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein said hydrolyzing agent is selected from the group consisting of fungal or bacterial alpha-galactosidases or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         103 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein said hydrolyzing agent has an alpha-galactosidase activity of about 600 GALU/g.  
     
     
         104 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein said hydrolyzing enzyme is obtained from a fungi from the  Aspergillus niger  strain.  
     
     
         105 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein said hydrolyzing agent further comprises a beta-galactosidase enzyme.  
     
     
         106 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein the pH of said slurry is maintained at a pH that is approximately neutral during hydrolysis.  
     
     
         107 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein the pH of said slurry is maintained at a pH that is basic during hydrolysis.  
     
     
         108 . The method according to  claim 91  further comprising the step of separating substantially all of said monosaccharides from said soy meal slurry thereby forming a substantially monosaccharide free slurry and a monosaccharide solution.  
     
     
         109 . The method according to  claim 91  further comprising the step of separating at least about 90% of said monosaccharides from said soy meal slurry to produce a substantially monosaccharide free slurry and a monosaccharide solution.  
     
     
         110 . The method according to  claim 180  further comprising the step of pasteurizing said monosacchride free slurry.  
     
     
         111 . The method according to  claim 180  further comprising the step of drying said monosaccharide free slurry.  
     
     
         112 . The method according to  claim 180  wherein said monosaccharide solution contains isoflavones and monosacchrides and further comprising the step of separating said monosaccharides from said isoflavones.  
     
     
         113 . The method according to  claim 91  further comprising the step of pasteurizing said soy meal slurry.  
     
     
         114 . The method according to  claim 91  further comprising the step of drying said soy meal slurry.  
     
     
         115 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 50% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         116 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 60% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         117 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 90% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         118 . The method according to  claim 91  wherein said soy in said slurry has the following analysis: 
 (4) Protein Dispersibility Index above about 65%;  
 (5) Percent Stachyose by weight less than about 0.2%; and Percent Raffinose by weight less than about 0.2%.  
 
     
     
         119 . A method for enzymatically deactivating naturally occurring trypsin inhibitor in soy meal comprising the steps of: 
 (a) preparing a soy meal slurry at a temperature between 10° C. and 65° C.; and    (b) adding a sufficient amount of trypsin inhibitor deactivation enzyme to said soy meal slurry to substantially deactivate said trypsin inhibitor; and    (c) waiting a sufficient period of time for said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme to deactivate said trypsin inhibitor while maintaining said temperature wherein said soy meal in said slurry has a Protein Dispersibility Index of at least about 60% upon substantial completion of said deactivation of said trypsin inhibitors.    
     
     
         120 . The method according to  claim 119  wherein said soy meal has not been heated above about 65 degrees C. prior to preparation of said slurry.  
     
     
         121 . The method according to  claim 119  wherein said soy meal slurry is not heated above about 65 degrees C. during deactivation of said trypsin inhibitors.  
     
     
         122 . The method of according to  claim 119  wherein said soy meal slurry is adjusted to have a pH between 3.0 and 10.0 before the addition of said trypsin inhibitor deactivation enzyme.  
     
     
         123 . The method according to  claim 119  wherein said soy meal slurry is adjusted to have a pH of 8.5 before the addition of said trypsin inhibitor deactivating enzyme.  
     
     
         124 . The method according to  claim 119  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 70% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         125 . The method according to  claim 119  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 80% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         126 . The method according to  claim 119  wherein said soy meal in said soy meal slurry has a PDI of at least about 90% after said trypsin inhibitors have been substantially deactivated.  
     
     
         127 . The method according to  claim 119  further comprising the steps of: 
 (i) adding a sufficient amount of a hydrolyzing agent to said soy meal slurry to convert substantially all oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides; and  
 (j) waiting a sufficient amount of time for said hydrolyzing agent to convert substantially all oligosaccharides present in said soy meal to monosaccharides.