Dimethyl sulfide as a source of the seaweed-like aroma in cooked soybeans and correlation with its precursor, S-methylmethionine (vitamin U).
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Bench-level food chemistry study (graded by design analogy)
PubMed 25090616 · doi:10.1021/jf501614j
What was done
Researchers investigated the chemical basis of the seaweed-like flavor in cooked Japanese soybean cultivars Nishiyamahitashi 98-5 (NH) and Shinanokurakake (SKK) relative to other soybean germplasms. Volatiles produced after heat treatment were analyzed via gas-liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and concentrations and tissue distribution of the precursor S-methylmethionine (SMM, vitamin U) were measured.
What was found
Heat treatment generated 11.5 ± 3.46 μg g⁻¹ of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in NH and 6.66 ± 0.91 μg g⁻¹ in SKK. While SMM was detected in all tested varieties, concentrations in NH and SKK seeds ranged from 75 to 290 μg g⁻¹ (>100-fold higher than other varieties) and correlated with DMS formation. SMM was found exclusively in the plumes and radicles.
Why it matters
This study identifies DMS derived from SMM as the source of a distinct flavor profile in specific soybean varieties. It demonstrates that these cultivars can match or surpass SMM levels typically found in rich vegetable sources such as cabbage, turnip, and celery.
Limits
The abstract does not disclose the total number of soybean varieties or sample replicates analyzed. Findings are strictly chemical and lack human sensory panel threshold testing or nutritional outcomes.
Cited by
- supports Cabbage juice contains vitamin U, also known as S-methylmethionine.