Dynamic high-pressure (DHP) treatment was used to modify soybean protein to prepare the DHP-treated soybean protein (DHP-SBP). Following sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the DHP-treated sample showed a reduced band area (reduced by 40-54%) for beta-conglycinin, a major protein in soybeans, which verified the effects on the entire protein conformation. To evaluate the functionality of DHP-SBP, spontaneously obese and hypertensive rats (SHR/NDmcr-cp) were fed a DHP-SBP-added diet. Compared with the control (CTL) and soybean powder (SBP) groups, the total lipid weight and total cholesterol in the livers of the rats in the DHP-SBP group were significantly lower; levels of triglycerides also tended to be lower. In the investigation of the adipogenesis of liver tissue by Oil Red O staining, the CTL and SBP groups showed progressing adipogenesis, but the DHP-SBP group did not present any abnormalities. Additionally, the elevated blood pressure (BP) was significantly decreased by the ingestion of DHP-SBP. Thus, these results suggest that the ingestion of DHP-SBP reduces hepatic fat accumulation and suppresses the increase in BP in rats.
