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| Kathmandu Saturday March 30, 2002 Chaitra 17, 2058. |
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Soybean, an underutilised
grain legume
By H D Lekhak
Soybean is a flowering plant of family Fabaceae,
scientifically known as Glycine max (L) Merr. It is one of the oldest food legumes known
to man. It originated in China many centuries ago and has now become a global commodity
grown in more than 100 countries of the world. Its total world production in 1999-2000 was
155 million tones that make approximately 64 percent of the total world production of
grain legume crops. Major soybean producing countries in the world are the USA, Brazil,
Argentina, and China. Prior to 1940, soybean was cultivated mainly in China, Japan, Korea
and to a lesser extent in other countries in Asia. Such tremendous growth in the
production of soybean in recent times may be credited to its wider use in the production
of numerous processed food items, fiber and medicinal and industrial products.
Today soybean is the chief source of oil,
protein and lecithin. It has been experienced that soybean is sensitive to soil and
climate and every locality has its own types suited to that particular environment.
Whatever may be the reason, it is factual that soybean cultivation, production and
utilisation are on the rise and will continue to grow in future as well. Since a larger
segment of the human population, particularly in developing countries is undernourished
and malnourished, growth of soybean production is expected to combat protein-calorie
malnutrition.
Soybean has always been an excellent health food
as it contains about 40 percent of good quality protein, 23 percent of carbohydrate,
cholesterol free oil and sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins. Out of the total
amount of soybean consumed as food, almost all is consumed in Asia. The uses of soybean as
food can be grouped under three categories: Fresh, fermented and non-fermented. Fresh
green soybeans are consumed after boiling it with water with a little bit of salt. After a
few minutes, beans become ready to eat. The green beans can also be shelled and cooked
with any other vegetable or meat of choice. Small seeded soybean is used to make sprouts.
Fermented soyfood include soy sauce, misco soup, natto, tempeh and fermented tofu. Soy
sauce is a flavour enhancer. Large seeded soybean with high protein content is preferred
for making miso. Small seeded soybeans are used for making natto. Black seeded soybean are
fermented and used as garnish. Tempeh is prepared using the fungi Rhizopus oryzae and R
oligosporus. It is rich in riboflavin, vitamin B6 and B 12, biotin and folate.
Non-fermented soy food includes soymilk, and important source of calcium. Various kinds of
tofu are consumed in Asia with soups and salads. Fried tofu is also a delicacy. Dry
soybeans are roasted and consumed as snacks, plain or spiced in Nepal. Such roasted
soyanuts are becoming popular in other countries as well. Soybean protein film called yuba
is used in a variety of preparations. Soybean is an essential ingredient in the
preparation of imitation meat. Other soybean products, such as soy flour, soy noodles, soy
ice cream, soy yogurt and soy protein isolates are also popular in Asia. Soybean does not
have lactose. Hence, soymilk and other dairy analogs are best suited to lactose-intolerant
people. Soybean is also a very good source for diabetics as it has low carbohydrate
content.
Previously, soybean food items were prepared in
a traditional way. Since the people now want convenient food and are becoming more health
conscious, commercial production of a variety of soybean food has boomed in Asia.
Countries like Japan, Korea, China, Thailand and Indonesia have witnessed the fast growth
of soybean-based food industries in the recent years.
Though, soybean cultivation in Nepal has a long
history any serious attempt to popularise and extend its cultivation and utilisation has
not been made so far. It has been found that there is no significant increase in the area
under soybean cultivation in the last decade. Nepal produced 213 thousand tones of soybean
in 1999, which has been processed mostly for edible oil.
It is most unfortunate that an agricultural
country like Nepal has not given any thought for the processing of soybean for the
production of protein rich food despite the known fact that the majority of the Nepalese
population are consuming protein deficient food. Moreover animal protein is an expensive
commodity that average Nepali citizen cannot afford to buy as part of their daily diet and
also that a large number of people are vegetarian here and their number is increasing. It
is high time for our industrialists and government to seriously consider the need for
establishing soybean-based food industries.
Processing of soybean for food will also
encourage our farmers to grow more soybean which will enhance the value of the commodity
and make the preservation and transportation easier, and will reduce post harvest loss.
Overall, it will bring more benefit to farmers, producers and consumers and contribute
substantially to our economy.
Soybean can be grown in a large part of our
country—small black seeded in low lands and brown and yellow large seeded in hills.
The only thing is to consolidate our efforts to the realisation that we have a potential
to grow more soybeans, and this environmental-friendly crop is needed for better national
and global health.
(The author is Associate Professor at
Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University)
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