Dietary protein quality in infants and children. IX. Instant sweetened corn-soy-milk blend

Soy protein utilization in food systems

Soy protein products are utilized in food systems as whole beans, flours and grits, concentrates and isolates, and textured products. Soy proteins play a significant role in food systems as a source of supplementary and complementary protein and contribute functional properties such as solubility, water absorption, viscosity, emulsification, texture, and antioxidation. Whole soybeans are processed into snack foods, beverages, and fermented foods. Soy protein is an ideal supplement for cereal protein because it corrects lysine and other amino acid deficiencies. Blends of soy flour or grits with cereals such as corn, wheat, or sorghum are widely used in world feeding programs. The blends are also valuable in domestic food systems such as breakfast cereals and baked foods. Concentrates and isolates are utilized in processed meats and baby foods. Isolates are utilized in processed meats and baby foods. Isolates are employed as whipping agents and coffee whiteners. Thermoplastic extrusion of defatted flours or protein concentrates produces an expanded type of textured protein. Isolated soy protein is converted to meat analogs by a spun fiber process. Textured soy protein products are used to extend or replace meat products in food systems.

Nutritional effectiveness of soy cereal foods in undernourished infants

These studies show that a variety of cereal‐soy foods can be the major or only source of protein in the diet of growing infants and children. These included various combinations of cornmeal and soy flour, with and without added dry skim milk or methionine; a wheat flour‐wheat concentrate mixture or whole wheat flour with soy flour; oat and soy flours; and a corn‐wheat‐soy flour macaroni. Apparent absorption of nitrogen from each of these mixtures was similar, averaging 76.3±0.6 (SEM) % of intake, but was inferior to that from casein in the same children, which averaged 86.8±0.4% of intake. Apparent retentions of nitrogen averaged 26.6±0.8 and 33.8±1.0% of intake respectively, with all but one of the soy‐cereal combinations being similar. This one had a mean retention equal to that from casein, possibly as the result of “instantizing” of the cornmeal which probably resulted in increased availability of dietary energy. For all the mixtures, nitrogen retention was influenced by the efficiency of nitrogen absorption, suggesting that processing methods can improve the nutritional quality of these foods.