Monitoring 12 isoflavones during soybean seed germination using LC-MS/MS
Journal
JOURNAL OF FOOD COMPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Journal Volume
146
Start Page
107909
ISSN
0889-1575
Date Issued
2025-10
Author(s)
Yi-Chiao Lin
Dinar S. Saputri
農業部農業試驗所
Chih-Hui Chiu
Hui-Ru Pan
Yin Yin Lau
Chung-Chi Hu
Hung-Yu Lin
Abstract
Soybean isoflavones have been linked to potential cardiovascular protective effects. This study investigated changes in isoflavone content during germination in five Taiwanese soybean cultivars. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was established to quantify 12 individual isoflavones within 15 min, using a Kinetex F5 column and Agilent 6470 mass spectrometer in MRM mode. The method showed good linearity (3-800 ng/mL, r(2) > 0.99), sensitivity (LLOQ = 3 ng/mL), and precision (RSD < 13.6 %). Total isoflavone concentrations increased progressively during the germination period and peaked on day 4. Malonyl-genistin was the dominant component, contributing 55-70 % of the total isoflavone content, and exhibited a 1.8- to 2.5-fold increase from day 1 to day 4. Glycoside forms also increased during germination, while aglycones and acetyl-glucosides remained relatively constant. These results indicate active isoflavone transformation during germination and suggest that day 4 may be a favorable time point for harvesting to maximize bioactive isoflavone yield. This analytical approach can support future studies on soybean sprout quality and processing optimization aimed at enhancing functional compound accumulation.
Subjects
Soybean
Germination
Isoflavones
LC-ESI-MS
MRM
F5 column
SDGs
Publisher
Elsevier
Type
journal article