Comparative Activity of Trypsin Inhibitor among Released Soybean Varieties/Strains of India

Soybean packed with the cheapest source of dietary protein (40%), offers a great potential in combating nutritional problems arising because of under and malnutrition in Indian population. Soybased diet is also becoming popular due to nutraceutical benefits that suit lactose intolerants, hypercholestrolics, diabetics, anemics lactating mothers and postmenopausal women. Lately, soy-based diet has been reported to prevent the risk of hazardous diseases like breast cancers, cardio-vascular diseases, osteoporosis, kidney and gallstone formation. However, soybean does suffer from shortfall of poorer protein digestibility. This is because of the presence of protease inhibitors primarily trypsin inhibitor. This biological component in soybean seed affects digestibility of proteins attributed to its antitryptic activity especially when soybean is consumed raw or used as flour without preblanching.