Soybean beverage and process

A process for preparing a bland, stable, aqueous dispersion of soybeans comprising:

• i. heating lipoxidase enzyme active soybean cotyledons having a moisture content of 20% by weight or less, sufficiently to inactivate the lipoxidase enzyme contained therein and to partially tenderize said soybean cotyledons;
• ii. further tenderizing said soybean cotyledons until the soybeans exhibit a tenderometer value of between about 16 and about 300 pounds per 100 grams of soybeans;
• and
• iii. homogenizing an aqueous slurry of said tenderized soybeans, said slurry having a soybean concentration of less than about 20% by weight, in at least one pass through a homogenization zone at a pressure between about 1000 and 10,000 psi. at a temperature between about 32.degree. F. and a boiling point of the slurry at the pressure within the homogenizing zone, thereby obtaining a bland, stable soybean dispersion.

The process for preparing a bland, stable aqueous dispersion of soybeans comprising:

• i. heating dehulled raw soybeans having a moisture content of 20% by weight or less in boiling water for about 15 to 20 minutes;
• ii. forming an aqueous slurry of said soybeans, said slurry having a soybean concentration of less than about 20% by weight, the water employed in said slurry comprising the water employed for heating said beans plus additional water containing 0.05% sodium bicarbonate;
• iii. heating said slurry for about 20 minutes at about 180.degree. F. to impart a tenderometer value thereto of between about 16 and about 300 pounds per 100 grams of soybeans;
• and
• iv. homogenizing said slurry in at least one pass through a homogenization zone at a pressure between about 1000 and 10,000 psi. at a temperature between about 32.degree. F. and a boiling point of the slurry at the pressure within the homogenizing zone, thereby obtaining a bland, stable soybean dispersion.

Process for preparing a bland, stable aqueous dispersion of soybeans comprising:

• i. heating whole raw soybeans at a temperature and for a time sufficient to substantially breakdown the gelatinous fiber that partially binds the hull to the cotyledons of the soybean and to impart a plastic texture to the cotyledons;
• ii. dehulling sid soybeans and recovering enzyme active soybean cotyledons;
• iii. heating the soybean cotyledons sufficiently to inactivate the lipoxidase enzyme contained therein and to partially tenderize said soybean cotyledons;
• iv. further tenderizing said soybean cotyledons until the soybeans exhibit a tenderometer value between about 16 and about 300 pounds/100 grams of soybeans;
• and
• v. homogenizing an aqueous slurry of said tenderized soybeans, said slurry having a soybean concentration of less than about 20% by weight, in at least one pass through a homogenization zone at a pressure between about 1000 and 10,000 psi. at a temperature between about 32.degree. F. and the boiling point of the slurry at the pressure within the homogenizing zone, thereby obtaining a bland, stable aqueous dispersion of soybeans.