Bioactive phytochemicals from soybean (Glycine max) oil processing by-products

Abstract

Soybean is of great importance among all harvested oil crops worldwide due to its high protein and oil contents. Also, soybeans are good sources for such minor components as phytosterols, squalene, phenolic components, and lecithin, which are positively proven to benefit human health. Soybean oil is used for either food or non-food applications such as biodiesel or lubricant production. After the oil extraction process, soybean by-products such as cake, meal, hull, or deodorizer distillate also have great interest due to their bioactive components, which are not transferred to the oil. Many extraction techniques and approaches have been studied so far, and the increasing demand for such components for health purposes is raising the number of studies for this aim. In this chapter, the usage areas of soybean by-products are thoroughly discussed in addition to a general overview of this valuable crop.