About
Finely milled powder produced from whole or defatted soybeans (Glycine max), available in full-fat and solvent-extracted (defatted) forms. It is widely used to boost protein and nutrient content in bakery goods, meat products, infant formulas, and other processed foods, and also provides emulsifying properties due to its native lecithin.
Safety summary
Soya flour is broadly approved as a safe food ingredient across major jurisdictions with no formal Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) established. However, soy protein is a recognised major food allergen capable of causing reactions ranging from mild symptoms to rare severe anaphylaxis, particularly in individuals with concurrent peanut allergy. The flour also contains phytoestrogenic isoflavones that may interfere with thyroid hormone absorption and affect hormonal balance, raising specific concerns for infants and people with thyroid disease.
Regulatory landscape
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Approved food ingredient permitted across EU food categories. Soy/soya is listed as a major allergen in Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, requiring mandatory prominent labelling in all products containing it or its derivatives.source |
| Food Standards Agency (FSA) / Food Standards Scotland (FSS) (United Kingdom) | Approved | Permitted food ingredient; soy is a regulated allergen under UK retained food law requiring mandatory labelling. The COT conducted a specific allergen risk assessment (TOX-2020-39) on adventitious soya contamination in wheat flour, establishing reference doses for soya protein elicitation thresholds.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Solvent extracted soya flour is standardised under FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 (Chapter 2.4). Permitted as an ingredient in Protein-rich wheat flour (Protein prachur atta) up to 15% of the product. Extraction solvent is restricted to n-Hexane (Food Grade) only under the Prohibition and Restriction on Sales Regulations. Standards listed for revision under the FSSAI standards roadmap.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved |
Who should approach with care
Research citations
- 1FDA. FDA Food Additive Status List (formerly EAFUS) – Substances Added to Food, 2026. fda.gov
- 2FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations – Chapter 2.4: Cereals and Cereal Products (Version 4, May 2025), 2025. fssai.gov.in
- 3FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations – Version X (April 2023), 2023. fssai.gov.in
- 4other. Allergen risk assessment for adventitious contamination of wheat flour with soya – UK Committee on Toxicity (COT), TOX-2020-39 Annex A, 2020. cot.food.gov.uk
- 5EFSA. Re-evaluation of soybean hemicellulose (E 426) as a food additive, 2017. efsa.europa.eu
