Germinated soybean protein products: chemical and nutritional evaluation

Various protein fractions were prepared from non‐germinated and germinated soybeans utilizing a combination of calcium chloride and sodium alginate solutions as extractant. Germination tended to improve the nutritional quality of the protein products as measured by protein efficiency ratios (PER of standard rat bioassay). PER values of proteins containing sodium alginate were reduced significantly, which was attributed to inhibition of pepsin proteolysis. Only 30 percent of the trypsin inhibitor activity in raw soybeans was eliminated during germination for three days. Vitamin C content increased from 0 to 25 mg per 100 g (dry basis) during germination.