Glycine max is considered as an economically important grain crop with varied potential health merits in reducing chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, immune disorders, etc. These biofunctional and health-promoting claims have been associated with the soy bioactive phytochemicals, or secondary metabolites derived during processing or digestion. That is the main bioactive component to enter the systemic circulation and reaching the targeted organs. However, per our knowledge, only recently have scientists started to pay special attention to the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of soybean bioactive compounds. This current review attempts to describe evidence-based information on the therapeutic and nutritional importance of soybean phytochemicals and the implications on general health. In addition, the bioavailability, metabolism, and biotransformation as well as the safety and efficacy of soybean phytochemicals, were explored since these are of significance for potential application in the food and pharmaceutical industries. However, clinical trials are needed to confirm such functional properties in humans. All data of in silico, in vivo, and in vitro research and their impact on health were collated and orchestrated from a library database and electronic search engines (PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar).

High-purity insoluble dietary fiber from okara (okara-HPIDF) is a raw material with a potentially positive effect on colon health. However, the mechanisms of the effect are far from clear. In this study, okara-HPIDF and low-purity dietary fiber from okara (okara-LPDF) were fed to C57BL/6 mice with acute ulcerative colitis induced by DSS. The levels of inflammatory factors, bacterial 16S rDNA sequencing, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and bioinformatics were analyzed with the colonic tissue status. The results showed that the intake of HPIDF affected the proliferation of the key bacteria Shigella, Lactobacillus, and Peptostreptococcaceae in the PWY-2941 pathway and AEROBACTINSYN-PWY pathway, and then affected the synthesis of SCFAs, providing a positive role for colon health. However, the intake of HPIDF was unable to repair colonic injury caused by DSS-induced acute ulcerative colitis mainly owing to the abundance of Shigella in the colon. This study demonstrates that the recommended intake content of HPIDF can ameliorate colonic environment disturbance caused by acute ulcerative colitis, but not enough to relieve it.

Plant-based meat analogues (PBMs) are increasingly interesting to customers because of their meat-like quality and contribution to a healthy diet. The single-screw extruder is an important method for processing PBMs, and the characteristics of the product are directly affected by the composition of the raw materials; however, little research focuses on this issue. To explore the effect of protein composition on the quality characteristics of PBMs produced by a single-screw extruder, four soybean varieties used in China (Heihe 43 (HH 43), Jiyu 86 (JY 86), Suinong 52 (SN 52), and Shengfeng 5 (SF 5)) were selected. The 11S/7S ratios for these varieties ranged from 1.0: 1 to 2.5: 1 in order to produce PBMs with different protein compositions. The structure, processing, nutrition, and flavor characteristics were explored to analyze their differences. The results showed that protein composition affected the structure of PBMs, but the correlation was not significant. Meanwhile, a lower 11S/7S ratio (HH 43) did not prove to be a favorable characteristic for the processing of PBMs. From the perspective of nutrition and flavor, it seems acceptable to use a moderate 11S/7S ratio (JY 86 and SN 43) to produce PBMs. This study proved that the protein composition of raw materials affects the characteristics of PBM products produced by a single-screw extruder. To produce PBMs of higher quality, soybeans with a markedly different 11S/7S ratio should not be selected.