Soybean polyose

Description

Soybean polyose is a water-soluble polysaccharide extracted from soybean fibre by using hot water. Soybean fibre is a mixture of components with and without cellulose that form part of the inner cell walls of soybeans.

Application

In food products, soybean polyose helps to stabilise protein particles in acid medium. Therefore its role is to promote flavour development and a smooth feeling in the mouth. Soybean polyose will dilute in warm as well as cold water without forming gels. Its properties that bind water are very good. This is the reason why it can preserve taste and soft texture of bakery products that are deep-frozen and then heated in the microwave.

Soybean polyose is utilised as:

• Emulsifier in sauces, food supplements and flavourings

• Thickening agent in bakery products and jelly sweets

• Stabilising agent in drinks from dairy products and in deep-frozen foodstuffs e.g. egg-based products

• Release agent in rice and Asian noodles

Biotechnology

Soybeans: As a rule, soybeans and soy products that are traded internationally are either wholly or partially derived from GM crops. GM soybeans are grown on a large scale in the USA and South America. The EU imports large parts of its soybeans from these countries.

Some food producers process exclusively conventional soybean materials but an absolute separation at all levels of processing between conventional and GM soybeans is not technically possible. Therefore, even raw materials declared to be "GM free" may contain minute traces of GM material. However, these traces must not exceed a maximum of 0.9 per cent.

Cultivation and permission

• There is only very little soybean cultivation in the EU. So far, no GM varieties of soybeans have been approved for cultivation in the EU.
• Since 1996 food and ingredients from GM soybeans (herbicide resistant, RoundupReady) are permitted in the EU.
• A number of new applications concerning the approval for importing and processing of new GM soybean varieties have been submitted.

Labelling: Soybean polyose from GM soybeans is subject to labelling. Food products manufactured from soybeans with adventitious, technically unavoidable admixtures of GM material of up to a limit of 0.9 per cent do not have to be labelled.