From proteomics to ionomics: Soybean genetic improvement for better food safety

Abstract

Soybean is a major protein and oilseed crop for food and livestock feed production, which is increasingly utilized in the food industry due to its favorable protein content and a superior overall seed composition with a high nutritional value. However, some of the soybean seed components have the potential to reduce the value of soy-food products as they are posing different food safety risks. Therefore, the objective of the present review was to evaluate options of soybean genetic improvement for the development of food-grade soybeans with a focus on food safety traits. To date, useful genetic variation in soybean germplasm collections and breeding materials has been described for protein components such as allergens or anti-nutritional factors, for fatty acid composition relevant to food safety, and for toxic heavy metal accumulation. Due to the progress in genomic research, genetic markers are available for assisting the introgression of major food safety traits into breeding populations, and the genetic mechanisms behind particular food safety traits have been clarified. Moreover, analytical methods from the fields of proteomics or ionomics are helpful for validating selection response and for monitoring quality features across genotypes. As consumer demand for food safety is steadily increasing, plant breeding approaches are gaining in importance as they can provide high-quality soybean raw materials to the food industry. For implementing better food safety on the consumer level, however, it appears that coordinated action between plant breeding and genetic research, food processing and marketing of products needs to be developed.