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Justification for Maintaining 6.25 as Nitrogen Conversion Factor for Soy Protein
ISSUE: The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) is being asked to decide whether to lower the current Codex Standard 6.25 nitrogen conversion factor1 (NCF) for soy protein products to 5.71. IMPACT: Changing the NCF number alone, and not the actual protein composition of the product, results in:
Loss of almost 10% of total soybean protein in product
Loss of product identity of Soy Protein Isolate (>90% protein)
Increase of duty rates for tariff code changes from isolate to concentrate
Significant increases in costs for lower protein soy feed
Major disruptions in trade of soybeans and derived protein ingredients
Recalculation of Nutrient Fact Panels on ALL soy products Re-interpretation of soy protein clinical trials
DESIRED OUTCOME: Codex agrees that the existing science supports maintaining the current 6.25 as the WHO/FAO Nitrogen Conversion Factor1 for soybeans and soy products. ACCEPTABLE OUTCOME: Codex appoints a WHO/FAO expert panel to examine the existing literature and methods of deriving NCF for all major protein sources. SCIENTIFIC BASIS: Two types of analytical methods have been used to determine the NCF:
1. The 1930s Jones publication calculated a NCF of 5.71 based on the glycinin content
that makes up only 40% of total protein in the soybean. If Jones had used the other
major storage protein (beta-conglycinin) that is 35% of the total protein in soybeans,
the NCF would have been calculated to be greater than 6.25.
2. Using anhydrous amino acid composition to derive the NCF for soy yields a factor of 6.25.
ACTION: Contact Codex Delegation in EU, Canada, Mexico, South American countries, and others to express your position that the 6.25 nitrogen conversion factor for soy protein should be retained, based on existing science and established international standards.
1 Nitrogen conversion factor are the multipliers that are used to determine the total protein content based on the existing nitrogen content in a sample of food or feed.