Evaluation of Quality Characteristics during Developmental Stages for Green Pod Consumption among some of the Released Cultivars of Indian Soybean

Abstract

Soybean has been endowed with epithet 'functional food of the century' as beyond traditional basic nutrition viz. high protein, PUFA rich oil, vitamins, minerals, it contains biological ingredients like isoflavones that prevent the risk of dreaded diseases like breast cancer, osteoporosis, cardiovascular ailments, kidney stones and help in beating the menopausal blues. Soybean has existed in India as a marginal food plant in some regions of Himalayas since ages but still it doesn't appear as a common item in Indian cuisine. There are couple of constraints that hinder the promotion of soy- based foods. The prime deterrent among them is the off-flavour associated with various soy-based foods to which Indian populace is not accustomed to.