Unveiling the biochemical potential of Romanian soybean genotypes: a focus on antioxidant properties

Soybean seeds are recognized as a valuable agricultural and nutritional resource, primarily because they are an excellent source of proteins. Beyond their nutritional benefits, soybeans host a remarkable array of bioactive compounds that add significant health benefits, including fatty acids, carbohydrates, isoflavones, saponins, phytosterols, lectins, phytic acid, and carotenoids. Many of these compounds exhibit antioxidant properties, and knowing their content is important because they can offer potential health benefits that extend beyond basic nutrition, enabling broader applications in nutraceuticals and functional foods. Recognizing the significance of these compounds, it becomes essential to explore their presence and variation across different soybean genotypes, as such insights can guide the development of nutritionally enhanced soy-based products and support their application in health-focused industries. In this context, the present study examined soybean seeds from 18 commercial Romanian genotypes, harvested at maturity from the Research & Development Station for Agriculture in Turda, Romania; total phenols were determined based on the Folin–Ciocalteu, assay with results expressed in gallic acid equivalents (GAEs). Total flavonoid content was determined spectrophotometrically and reported as catechin equivalents (CEs), and total carotenoids were also quantified using spectrophotometry, with results expressed in mg/kg. The findings revealed a relatively narrow range of variation in the concentrations of total phenols, which ranged between 1.66 and 1.98 mg GAE/g, indicating consistent phenolic content across the studied genotypes; similarly, total flavonoids exhibited a variation from 19 to 32 µg CE/kg, suggesting moderate differences in flavonoid levels. Total carotenoids ranged from 9.46 to 15.43 mg/kg, highlighting a slightly broader variability. These results underscore the stable yet distinct biochemical profiles of the evaluated soybean genotypes, providing valuable insights into their potential for functional food and nutraceutical development and enabling researchers and food technologists to optimize soy-based products, enhancing their health-promoting benefits and broadening their applications in addressing nutritional and wellness needs.