Soybean Processing as Raw Materials for Food Products

Nuts and seeds such as soybean, peanut, winged bean seeds, koro, and coconut are very important in our life as food source of vegetable protein and fats. Amino acid contained in its protein is not complete as animal protein. The addition of other ingredients such as sesame, corn or groats are very good for maintaining the balance of amino acids.

Nuts and tubers are easy to be exposed to mold (aflatoxin) and so quicly to become withered and rotten. To overcome this problem, those materials need to be preserved. Processing these raw materials can be food products such as chips, tofu, tempeh, and beverages such as soybean milk or powder.

Soybean contains 35% protein, even in the superior varieties protein content can reach 40-43%. Compared with rice, maize, cassava flour, green beans, meat, fresh fish, and eggs, soybeans have a higher protein content, nearly matching the levels of dried skim milk protein.

When one is not allowed or must not eat meat or other animal protein source, protein needs by 55 grams per day can be fulfilled with foods derived from the 157.14 grams of soy.

Soybeans can be processed into: tempeh, tempeh crisps, soy tofu, soy ketchup, soy milk, and others. The processing of soybeans into a variety of food in general is a quite simple process, and the equipments and tools used are commonly used in the household, except parer, grinder, and mold.

By: Harry S.