Effects of Methyl Sulfonyl Methane (MSM) Treatment on the Quality Characteristics of Soybean

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM) treatment during soybean cultivation on the general and functional components of soybean by varying the application methods and concentrations of MSM.The results could serve as basic data for evaluating the effectiveness of MSM in improving soybean quality and developing functional food materials in the future.The results showed that the protein content, a major component of soybeans, was higher in the MSM-treated groups (42.946.0%)compared to the control group (42.0%).In particular, the highest protein content (46.0%) was observed in the group-treated with the highest amount of sulfur (basal fertilizer plus 800% top dressing).The content of methionine, a sulfur-containing amino acid, was also the highest in the above group (61.3 mg/100 g) compared to the control group (5.0 mg/100 g).The antioxidant activity, including total phenolic compounds and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, was higher in the treatment groups than in the control group, which showed the lowest activity.Dietary fiber content was also 0.52.7%higher in the treatment groups compared to the control group (37.3%).These results suggest that treatment with MSM has a positive impact on the overall chemical composition, including general components, and can improve the quality of soybeans.