Soybeans are cheap, healthy, and available in abundance. There's just one thing holding back this ideal protein substitute from wider adoption in the West: a subpar taste.
New Atlas reported that a team from the University of Missouri is sparing no effort in getting to the bottom of what could make soy more palatable to American tastes. The article noted that the presence of a compound called hexanal is the primary contributor to soy's unpopular flavor. The researchers began with the raw beans themselves rather than the finished product.
Four soybean varieties were used in the experiments, and the names were certainly well-chosen with an American market in mind: Patriot, HOLL, Tiger, and Super. With cutting-edge tools, the researchers mapped out a comprehensive profile of each type. A panel of experts then analyzed each compound for smell.
In the end, Patriot was a flop, while Super was the star of the show, boasting a mild aroma and smooth flavor. With a carefully engineered nutritional profile free of excess sugars and the enzymes that impede flavor, the team is hopeful that it might just have cracked the code.
"There's a clear need for soybeans with a milder or even neutral flavor profile — beans that can be added to a variety of products without announcing themselves on the palate," Bongkosh Vardhanabhuti, a researcher working on the project, explained, per New Atlas.
The research is one of several ongoing efforts to make the global food supply more secure and sustainable. Protein alternatives, such as soy, offer a way for consumers to use more plant-based options instead of factory-farmed meat and the associated moral and environmental harm it causes.
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Other interesting culinary research includes a team of biochemists using AI to develop a dairy alternative made from cabbage and pineapple that somehow still tastes like real milk. Similarly, a startup is working on an energy drink made from the discarded parts of coffee fruits.
It all goes to show that more eco-friendly dietary choices don't require any real sacrifice by the consumer, just an open mind.
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