Research on the deliciousness of processed soybean current state and future prospects of soybean breeding II

Soybeans are cultivated worldwide and are one of the most important oilseed resources. After palm oil, soybean oil is the most produced vegetable oil globally. It is not only used in foods, such as salad dressings, mayonnaise, and margarine, but it also has non-food uses, such as soy ink, plastics, and biodiesel. Soybean oil accounts for approximately 20% of the total weight of soybeans and is characterized by having a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic acid and a-linolenic acid, as well as saturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. Among these fatty acids, a-linolenic acid is readily oxidized, and is thus a causal substance for generation of off-flavors. To overcome this problem, studies have focused on using various cultivation techniques to develop new soybean varieties with improved oil compositions. In the Soy Research Section of the 68th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology in 2021, Professor Toyoaki Anai (Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University), who is currently involved in research and development of soybean cultivars with improved oil composition using mutant collections, presented his latest results and future expectations.