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Alternative Techniques for Defatting Soy: A Practical Review

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Abstract

Hexane extraction is the most common technique used to remove oil from full fat soy materials in the production of both soy oil and defatted soy. The popularity of hexane is based on its high oil extraction efficiency and its availability. The solvent, however, has some considerable economic, environmental, and safety drawbacks. A review of alternative soybean defatting techniques is carried out through the description of four main technological approaches including: (1) alternative organic (carbon-based) solvent extraction, (2) aqueous extraction, (3) supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction, and (4) enzymatically aided extraction. Through detailed discussions of experimental results, the advantages and disadvantages of each approach are presented. The optimum oil yield for the various extraction techniques discussed ranges from as high as 26.0% for mixed organic solvent extraction of full fat soy flour to as low as ∼7% for some enzymatic treatments of full fat soy brokens extracted by mechanical pressing. An environmentally friendly, safe, and cost-efficient alternative technique has yet to be developed to replace hexane extraction. Current aqueous and SC-CO2 techniques show promise but require further research and development to ensure their practicality in terms of industrial processing.

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Abbreviations

AE:

Aqueous extraction

CFFSB:

Cracked full fat soybean

CPG:

Compressed petroleum gas

EFFSF:

Extruded full fat soy flakes

EtOH:

Ethanol

FAO:

Food and Agriculture Organisation (United Nations)

FDA:

Food and Drug Administration (United States)

FFA:

Free fatty acid

FFEC:

Expanded full fat soy collets

FFF:

Full fat soy flour

FFSB:

Full fat soy brokens

FFSF:

Full fat soy flakes

Hex:

Hexane

HPLC:

High performance liquid chromatography

Incub. temp:

Incubation temperature

Incub. time:

Incubation time

IPA:

Isopropyl alcohol

MIP:

Membrane isolation process

n/a:

Not available

Press temp:

Pressing temperature

SC-CO2 :

Supercritical carbon dioxide

SFFSF:

Steam-conditioned full fat soy flakes

SPI:

Soy protein isolate

Temp:

Temperature

w/v:

Weight by volume

w/w:

Weight by weight

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CP Kelco US Inc., 8225 Aero Drive, San Diego, CA, 92123-1716, USA

    Ted A. Russin

  2. Food Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 3600 Casavant Boulevard West, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada, J2S 8E3

    Joyce I. Boye, Yves Arcand & Sahul H. Rajamohamed

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  1. Ted A. Russin
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  2. Joyce I. Boye
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Russin, T.A., Boye, J.I., Arcand, Y. et al. Alternative Techniques for Defatting Soy: A Practical Review. Food Bioprocess Technol 4, 200–223 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-010-0367-8

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