Effect of moisture,microwave heating,and live steam treatment on phospholipase D activity in soybeans and soy flakes

The impact of enzyme activity on the nonhydratable phospholipid content of crude soybean oil has been evaluated. A radiochemical method was used to assay phospholipase D activity in whole and flaked soybeans stored under a variety of storage and enzyme inactivating conditions. The crude enzyme was isolated and incubated with a mixture of¹⁴C-labeled and unlabeled phosphatidylcholine. The amount of liberated radioactive choline was used as a measure of enzyme activity. whole soybeans with moisture contents of 8–18% were stored at 40°C and sampled weekly for up to four weeks. Although the enzyme was active in all samples, the optimum moisture content for enzyme activity was about 14%. Flaking and flake thickness were shown to increase phospholipas D activity. At moisture levels above 10%, flakes at .012″ showed about twice the activity of whole beans. As flake thickness was increased, enzyme activity decreased. Whole soybeans with moisture contents of 12–18% were treated by microwave heating under controlled conditions. During the early stages of heating, the enzyme was activated, and then was gradually destroyed by the time the temperature of the beans reached 115–120°C. Approximately 8–10 min of microwave heating was required to completely destroy enzymatic activity. The inactivation of phospholipase D in soyflakes treated with live steam was also evaluated. The enzyme is rapidly destroyed at temperatures of about 110°C. Evaluations of flakes subjected to live steam and whole beans treated by microwave heating to inactivate phospholipase D suggest that heat, moisture and enzyme activity are important factors contributing to the formation of nonhydratable phospholipid in extracted crude oils. Presented at Annual Meeting of the American Oil Chemists' Society, May 3–7, 1989.