Soybean protein and soybean peptides: Biological activity, processing technology, and application prospects

Soybean, a staple crop, is a source of high-quality protein and, thus, has broad prospects in the food industry and other fields. This review first introduces common soybean protein products and then elaborates on the safety and biological activity of soybean protein. In addition, excellent processing characteristics are introduced and an example of the comprehensive utilization of soy protein is given. Soybean peptides are an essential extension product in the soybean processing chain. Hence, this paper also introduces soybean peptides’ biological activity. Moreover, traditional, and novel techniques for processing soybean protein isolate and peptides are compared in terms of their advantages and characteristics, and new ideas are proposed for their green production on an industrial scale. It is hoped that the analysis and innovative concepts proposed in this work will promote the healthy development of the soybean protein industry chain.