Soy

Regulatory requirements of soy

Soy is one of the “big eight” allergens regulated in the EU and many other countries worldwide, requiring it to be labeled as an ingredient on food packaging.

Importance of soy and rising allergy cases

The soybean (Glycine maxima) belongs to the legume family and contains over 35% protein, making it a crucial plant-based protein source for human consumption. Products such as soy sauce, soy milk, tofu, miso, and tempeh are increasingly popular. Soy is also widely used for oil production and the manufacture of the emulsifier soy lecithin. With the growing presence of soy products in the market, there has been a parallel increase in soy allergies globally. The increased use of soy in food production can lead to accidental cross-contamination of foods.

Allergenic proteins in soy

Even small concentrations of approximately 5 mg of soy protein can trigger allergic reactions. Therefore, soy allergens are subject to labeling in many countries. The allergenic proteins of soybeans are identified as Gly m1 to Gly m6, with ß-conglycinin (Gly m5) and the heat-stable glycinin (Gly m6) being the main storage proteins. ß-conglycinin is a major allergen in children, while both glycinin and ß-conglycinin can cause anaphylactic reactions in allergic individuals. Detection of these proteins, for example through an ELISA test, means that allergy sufferers must avoid the food.

Detection of soy in processed foods

Processed or highly heated foods may contain soy proteins that are not detected using common analytical methods, except for RIDASCREEN®FAST Soya (Art. No. R7102). This limitation is mainly due to the lack of adequate antibodies and effective extraction methods. To address this, R-Biopharm developed a lateral flow test, RIDA®QUICK Soya (Art. No. R7103), for detecting native or highly heated soy on surfaces. This qualitative, immunochromatographic swab test is used for hygiene monitoring in production lines and laboratories. It is the most sensitive lateral flow test for detecting soy on surfaces (0.5 μg soy protein/100 cm²) and can identify processed proteins. The antibodies in this test specifically detect heated glycinin (Gly m6) and ß-conglycinin (Gly m5). An extraction at 100 °C denatures all soy proteins, enabling efficient detection due to the antibodies.

RIDA®QUICK Soya

RIDA®QUICK Soya can be used as a swab test for the soya determination on surfaces in the hygiene control and for the qualitative detection of soya in raw material and processed food.

RIDASCREEN®FAST Soya

RIDASCREEN®FAST Soya is a sandwich enzyme immunoassay for the quantitative analysis of native and processed soya proteins in food.

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Sample preparation for RIDASCREEN®FAST Soya

This video shows you how to prepare food samples prior to an allergen analysis using RIDASCREEN®FAST ELISA tests.

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Test procedure for the sandwich ELISA

This video shows how samples were analyzed on their allergen content using the RIDASCREEN®FAST ELISA after extraction.

SureFood® ALLERGEN Soya

SureFood® ALLERGEN Soya is a PCR kit for the qualitative detection of DNA from soya.

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Real-time PCR sample preparation

This video shows how to prepare processed samples for real-time PCR using SureFood® PREP Advanced.

Key benefits of monitoring soy allergens

• Consumer safety: Protects individuals with soy allergies from potentially severe allergic reactions by ensuring accurate detection and labeling of soy allergens in food products.
• Regulatory compliance: Helps manufacturers comply with food allergen labeling regulations in the EU and other countries, ensuring that all soy-containing products are properly labeled.
• Quality assurance: Maintains the integrity and safety of food products by accurately identifying and quantifying soy allergens, preventing accidental exposure.
• Cross-contamination prevention: Ensures that food production environments are free from soy allergens, preventing cross-contamination and ensuring the safety of allergen-free products.
• Advanced detection methods: Utilizes highly specific and sensitive detection techniques, such as ELISA and real-time PCR, to accurately detect and quantify soy traces, even in processed foods.

Conclusion

Monitoring for soy allergens is essential for protecting consumer health, ensuring regulatory compliance, and maintaining product quality. By employing advanced detection methods such as ELISA and real-time PCR, manufacturers can accurately identify and quantify soy contamination, preventing allergic reactions and ensuring the safety of their products. This proactive approach supports robust allergen management, upholds food safety standards, and fosters consumer trust in soy-free products.