Regional Variability in Sugar and Amino Acid Content of U.S. Soybeans and the Impact of Autoclaving on Reducing Sugars and Free Lysine

Abstract

Exploring the sugar and amino acid content variability and the influence of thermal processing on these in soybeans can help optimize their utilization in animal feed. This study examined 209 samples harvested in 2020 and 55 samples harvested in 2021 from across the U.S. to assess their sugar variability and amino acid variability. Harvest regions included the East Corn Belt, West Corn Belt, Mid-South, East Coast, and the Southeast of the U.S. In addition to the sugar and amino acid contents, protein, oil, and seed size were also analyzed. Samples from 2021 were evaluated for their sugar and amino acid contents before and after autoclaving the seeds at 105–110 °C for 15 min. For the samples harvested in 2020, sucrose (4.45 g 100 g−1) and stachyose (1.34 g 100 g−1) were the most prevalent sugars. For the samples harvested in 2021, L-arginine (9.82 g 100 g−1), leucine (5.29 g 100 g−1), and glutamate (4.90 g 100 g−1) were the most prevalent amino acids. Heat treatment resulted in an 8.47%, 20.88%, 11.18%, and 1.46% median loss of free lysine, sucrose, glucose, and fructose. This study’s insights into the variability in sugar and amino acid content and the heat-induced changes in the nutritional composition of soybeans provide a reference for improving soybean quality assessment and optimizing its use in animal feed formulations in the U.S.