Fran Labell "Soy
Protein Isolate Fills Health Needs - Brief Article". Prepared Foods. August 2000. FindArticles.com. 30 Nov. 2007.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_8_169/ai_65020617
Soy Protein Isolate Fills Health Needs - Brief Article
Prepared Foods, August, 2000 by Fran Labell
Soy has long been believed to provide certain health benefits. That belief was bolstered last year when FDA authorized a labeling health claim linking soy protein consumption and the prevention of heart disease. Now, recent clinical studies are suggesting potential soy health benefits for menopause symptoms, bone density and cancer, and food manufacturers in all sectors are looking to capitalize on rising consumer interest.
"Americans are looking at food alternatives to help them feel healthier and happier about themselves," says Julie Tockman, director, health business communications, Protein Technologies International. "They would like to get soy protein and its health benefits in their favorite foods."
St. Louis-based Protein Technologies International, a DuPont company, developed SUPRO[R] Soy brand isolated soy protein specifically for food products that are eligible to carry the health claim. SUPRO Soy, which is a minimum 90% soy protein, contains 3.4 mg of naturally occurring soy isoflavones per gram of protein. The company uses a proprietary method to process the isolates so that the isoflavones are maintained.
"More than 50 individual studies since the first human study in the mid 1970s show that eating soy protein makes LDL cholesterol go down, while HDL cholesterol stays the same or goes up," says Sue Potter, Ph.D., director of nutritional sciences, Protein Technologies International. "In the general population, the drop in LDL cholesterol is 3% or better. It is even greater for people with high cholesterol, say 280 or above. Of course, the effect is relative to initial cholesterol, and depends upon diet and lifestyle."
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Further clinical research suggests soy has benefits outside of cardiovascular health. In one study Potter cites, women going through menopause who included soy protein with naturally occurring soy isoflavones in their diet experienced substantially fewer hot flashes each day. Ongoing studies of post-menopausal women show that soy protein helped them maintain bone density.
Another study of post-menopausal women showed that consuming soy protein with naturally occurring isoflavones and other bioactives helped them add 2% to the bone mineral density and content of the lumbar spine area.
Animal data has already been obtained on the role of soy in cancer prevention. The next step will be controlled human studies.
Protein Technologies International currently has studies on the relationship of soy to various health conditions underway at major research universities and medical facilities in the United States and around the world. Such projects represent the start of long-term investigations. To obtain the best information on a topic such as osteoporosis and bone health, for example, a one- to three-year study is optimum, and for cancer, three to five years, Potter explains.
Thanks to the research that has been completed and the FDA's health claim approval, there is great interest in using soy isolates in the entire spectrum of food applications, says Tockman.
Food technologists are developing snacks, baked goods, pasta products, soups, salad dressings, rice side dishes, entrees and beverages containing soy protein. The new SUPRO Soy isolates are flexible and adapt well to a variety of applications, according to Tockman. The non-flavored powders mix well in textured foods such as muffins, brownies or pancakes. Their neutral taste works well with many flavors, and they have been incorporated into delicately flavored melon, kiwi and cantaloupe smoothie beverages.
Each application has unique functional requirements in terms of hydration and texture, so food product development specialists must work with each one individually, says Tockman. The important thing is to start with goals for the finished product. For example, will the cookie be crunchy or chewy? In a powdered drink, what are the desired protein levels per serving size?
Protein Technologies International can answer questions and assist in meeting such functional requirements. The company produces a family of soy protein ingredients, including a range of soy protein isolates, fortified soy protein isolates and dietary fiber.
FDA authorized a health claim based on the relationship between the consumption of soy protein and the reduced risk of heart disease in October 1999.The authorization came in response to a petition filed by ProteinTechnologies International in May 1998. Food manufacturers may use one of two wordings for the health claim: "25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. A serving of (name food) supplies _____ grams of soy protein."
Or: "Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving of (name food) provides grams _____ of soy protein."
Foods eligible to bear the claim must provide a minimum of 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving and must meet the FDA established health claim criteria for "low fat," "low saturated fat" and "low cholesterol."
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