| Soybeans have long been in use as a food with high nutritional value. In recent years various processing techniques have been developed to isolate and refine soy protein from defatted soybeans, attracting attention to isolated soy protein as a new protein source. Also, because of the specific nutritional characteristics of this isolated protein Åisuch as improvement of lipid metabolism, among othersÅj, it has gradually become clear that it can be effective for the prevention of lifestyle related diseases and for their treatment; the demand increases year by year. In light of this situation, the Research Committee of Soy Protein Nutrition, Japan was established in 1979 under the sponsorship of Fuji Oil Co. for the purpose of advancing both basic and applied researches related to soy protein nutrition, and funding for researches in nutrition and food science of soy protein was initiated. In 1991, with the aim of wider dissemination and use of soy protein, the organization was renamed the Soy Protein Research Committee, Japan, and research grants have since been awarded over a wide range of fields, including biochemical breeding. The scale of grants by the Committee has grown every year, and through them great contributions have been made to the development of soy protein research in Japan. To solidify the Research Committee, the Fuji Foundation for Protein Research was established in 1997, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture. Under the auspices of this Foundation, grants are continuing to be awarded for research related to soy protein in the areas of (1) nutrition, health and treatment, (2) texture and taste in food science and food processing techniques, and (3) biochemical breeding Åiincluding bioscienceÅj. |
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