Canadian researchers find soy isoflavones and peptides restrict Listeria growth

Researchers from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, have found that soy can restrict the growth of some bacteria such as Listeria and Pseudomonas, as well as function better than some chemical-based agents.

Soybean derivatives are used in food products such as cooking oils, cheeses, ice cream, margarine, food spreads, canned foods and baked goods.

The university’s bionano laboratory director and engineering professor Suresh Neethirajan said that the use of soy isoflavones and peptides to reduce microbial contamination could benefit the food industry, which currently uses synthetic additives to protect foods.

The researchers used microfluidics and high-throughput screening to run millions of tests in a short period.

They found that soy can be a more effective antimicrobial agent than the current goup of synthetic chemicals.

Neethirajan added: "Heavy use of chemical antimicrobial agents has caused some strains of bacteria to become very resistant to them, rendering them ineffective for the most part.

"Soy peptides and isoflavones are biodegradable, environmentally friendly and non-toxic. The demand for new ways to combat microbes is huge, and our study suggests soy-based isoflavones and peptides could be part of the solution."

Peptides are part of proteins, and can serve as hormones, hormone producers or neurotransmitters. Isoflavones act as hormones and control much of the biological activity on the cellular level.