Isoflavone Content of Kansas Soybeans

Isoflavones occurring in soybean seed have been thought to have a positive effect on the health of humans, especially in cancer prevention. This positive impact may be a result of their antioxidant properties, estrogenic activity, or a combination of mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to quantify and compare different levels of isoflavones in various Kansas soybean cultivars. Seeds of four different cultivars grown in 2001 at three different locations were analyzed. There were significant differences in total and individual amounts of isoflavones across both cultivars and locations. These results demonstrated a large variation in isoflavone content in different cultivars grown in different locations, suggesting that selection of cultivar and growing location are important parameters in optimizing the isoflavone content of soybeans grown in Kansas.