Abstract

Soybean consumption has been associated with health benefits. However, the effect of ultrasound (US) soybean pretreatment in terms of potential health benefits has not been investigated so far. Accordingly, the total phenolic content (TPC) and the total aglycone content (TAC) were optimized using the Box-Behnken design. Contrasting samples regarding isoflavones aglycones and TPCs were screened for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potentials using RAW 264.7 macrophages. US pretreated soybeans (55 degrees C, 15 min, and 24 W/cm(2)) showed greater TPC and TAC compared to the control and this translated to higher antiradical activity and reduction of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) activation. The concentration of genistein in treated soybeans increased by 95%. Furthermore, US pretreated soybeans rendered phenolic extracts that reduced the NF-kappa B activation by 86%. Therefore, this contribution demonstrates the beneficial effects of US pretreatment of soybeans, which provides a better feedstock for the functional food industry. Practical applications Soybeans can be consumed as such or used as a feedstock to produce soy yogurt, fermented soymilk, tofu, and protein concentrate, among others. The greatest bioavailability of isoflavones compared to other flavonoids has recently been highlighted, and this has been explained by the relatively moderate lipophilicity of isoflavones as aglycones. The present contribution supports the use of US pretreatment of soybeans to obtain a feedstock with improved contents of isoflavones as aglycones. We have confirmed that phenolic extracts obtained from the US pretreated samples showed higher bioactivity as radical scavengers and by reducing the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) in a cell model, which is mediated by oxidative species. The clinical importance of NF-kappa B activation is derived mainly from its role in inflammatory responses. Therefore, our investigation may have a practical application in the procurement of soybean products and/or ingredients with improved functional properties related to their health benefits.