Most bakers have used defatted soy flour, soybean oil, and lecithin—commodity ingredients that have been used for decades in small and large bakeries around the world. Most bakers are also familiar with soy protein concentrates or isolates, used where highly specialized functional properties justify the additional costs.

More recently, however, bakers are discovering the benefits of “minimally-processed” whole soy ingredients from Natural Products, Inc. (NPI). These ingredients offer a wide range of benefits to bakeries of all sizes, including excellent functionality, cost-savings, and nutritional advantages compared with other soy ingredients and animal proteins.

Included in our line of minimally-processed soy ingredients are full fat, low fat, and blended soy ingredients. Simply stated, these ingredients make use of the whole soybean, usually minus the hull (the outer portion). Because they include nearly the entire soybean, these ingredients are commonly called “whole soy” ingredients.

Minimal processing generally includes only the use of heat, friction, sifting, dry-milling, and blending in the manufacture of high quality, shelf-stable food ingredients. No solvents or chemicals are used in these processes. Using unique combinations of these methods, NPI is creating a growing line of ingredients that offer a wide variety of functional properties and benefits.

Continue to "Whole Soy Ingredients in Baking, Part Two: Functionality"