Extraction solvent's effect on protein profiles of processed soybean meal

Processed soybean meal (SBM) products aim to reduce the antinutritional factors (ANF) in SBM that limit nutrition. To evaluate protein-based ANF and molecular changes during processing, it is helpful to determine total protein profiles to determine the presence of ANF and the effects of processing, such as heating and hydrolyzation/fermentation. A detailed proteomic analysis using one-dimensional gel electrophoresis may be helpful. However, prior to this step, protein extraction must be optimized. In this study, the protein extraction step is optimized to determine protein profiles. The first, processed SBM products were extracted in buffer containing 2-mercaptoethanol, followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. However, this method did not extract the total protein. The protein profiles extracted using 4 types of solvents were compared to maximize the extraction efficiency of the samples. Among the 4 solvents, urea could extract up to 90% of the proteins and showed the highest efficiency compared with water (up to 30%) and buffer system (up to 40%). Thus, an optimal and efficient extraction method for application in the evaluation of total protein profiles of processed SBM products was identified.