Indian J. Anim. Nutr. 2017.

34 (1): 118-120 Indian Journal of

doi: 10.5958/2231-6744.2017.00020.2
Animal Nutrition

SHORT COMMUNICATION
Potassium Hydroxide Solubility Test to Determine Protein
Quality of Soybean Meal
M.S. Mahesh*, Prashant M. Puri and S.P. Tripathi
Research and Development Centre (Animal Nutrition), Indo Gulf Fertilisers (A Unit of Aditya Birla Nuvo
Ltd), Jagdishpur, Amethi-227817, Uttar Pradesh, India

ABSTRACT
The present study investigated the quality of commercially available soybean meals (SBM) using
potassium hydroxide (KOH) solubility test. A total number of 12 samples from different traders were procured
over a period of eight months and analysed for chemical composition and KOH solubility. It was observed that
mean CP content and KOH soluble protein was 46.1 and 74.7%, respectively. Furthermore, 25% of the samples
failed to comply acceptable KOH soluble protein range of 70-85% thereby indicating excess heat treatment.
This cautions for ensuring strict quality control of SBM before incorporating into compound feeds especially
for poultry, pigs and perhaps pre-ruminants.
Key words: Heat treatment, Protein quality, Soybean meal

Soybean meal (SBM) is one of the commonly used reports on KOH solubility test are scarce for
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protein feedstuffs for poultry and to a lesser extent for ascertaining quality of commercial SBM available in
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ruminants as well. It is valued for its high CP (45-50%) India. Therefore, the present study was conducted to
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and rich lysine (6.1% of CP) profile with high
digestibility that generally complements the poor amino
acid profile of cereal proteins in the diet (Heuzé et al.,
2016). However, due to the presence of incriminating
factors such as protease (trypsin) inhibitors, SBM is
usually subjected to heat treatment and the extent of
heating has a direct implication on its nutritive value
(Willis, 2003). While, suboptimal processing leaves
incriminating factors undestroyed, excess heating makes
heat-sensitive lysine unavailable due to Maillard
reaction (Heuzé et al., 2016).
Of the several quality control tests (urease
activity, protein dispersibility index and nitrogen
solubility index), protein soluble in 0.2% (w/v)
potassium hydroxide (i.e., KOH solubility test) have been
recognised as important and reliable methods for
assessing protein quality in SBM for poultry (Araba and
Dale, 1990; Parsons et al., 1991; Willis, 2003) and pigs
(Parsons et al., 1991). This parameter is effective in
differentiating overheated SBM from optimally
processed ones, because KOH solubility generally
decreases as the degree of heat treatment increases.
Although, it is a simple and quick test, the published
*
Corresponding author: m.s.mahesh@adityabirla.com
118
Indian J. Anim. Nutr. 2017. 34 (1): 118-120
determine KOH solubility of SBM samples traded in
Indian market as a quick quality control measure.
About 750-1000 g of SBM was sampled randomly
from about 50 bags using a long grain sampler (stainless
steel probe) which were composited and placed into zip
lock bag. A total of 12 such composite samples over a
period of eight months (May to December, 2016) were
drawn from compound feed manufacturing units located
at Varanasi and Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Chemical composition like organic matter (OM), ether
extract (EE), crude fibre (CF) and CP as well as KOH
solubility were determined using pre-calibrated (Trouw
Nutrition Mosaic Network) near infrared reflectance
spectroscopy (NIRSTM, DS 2500 F, FOSS, Hillerød,
Denmark) after completing instrument checks and by
placing unground samples of SBM in the large sample
cup at 25°C. The KOH solubility test is based on the
principle of determining the percentage of CP in 1.5 g
of SBM that is solubilised in 75 mL of 0.2% (w/v) KOH
(0.36 N; pH 12.5) solution when stirred at 8500 rpm for
20 min. at room temperature (Araba and Dale, 1990).
The results were compiled as mean±standard error
using descriptive statistical tools of Microsoft Office
 Assessment of protein quality of soybean meal using potassium hydroxide solubility test

Table 1. Chemical composition (% DM) and KOH soluble protein (% CP) in SBM samples
Sample No. OM EE CF CP KOH soluble
protein
1 92.6 1.3 7.0 46.4 68.2
2 92.5 1.3 6.8 45.3 65.5
3 92.3 1.4 7.2 44.5 66.3
4 93.0 1.3 6.9 46.2 73.4
5 92.8 0.7 7.9 45.9 79.2
6 91.9 1.2 6.7 46.8 72.6
7 93.0 0.9 6.4 45.8 72.6
8 92.7 0.6 6.7 47.4 75.9
9 93.0 1.0 7.5 46.5 83.0
10 93.1 1.3 6.6 46.0 76.5
11 93.3 1.0 7.2 45.9 79.6
12 93.3 1.4 7.5 45.9 83.1
Mean±SE 92.8±0.1 1.1±0.1 7.0±0.1 46.1±0.2 74.7±1.7
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Excel. undergone excessive heat treatment that minimised their

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The chemical composition and KOH solubility of
SBM have been presented in Table 1. It was evident
that all the samples were of solvent extracted type and
thus presented relatively low EE values (0.6-1.4%).
Similarly, CP content varied in a narrow range of around
3 units (44.5-47.4%), whereas BIS (1998) specifies a
minimum of 48% CP in SBM intended for animal feed
use. Furthermore, OM level averaged 92.8% while CF
level ranged from 6.4 to 7.9% that exceeded the BIS
(1998) maximum limit of 5%. Nevertheless, the
composition is broadly comparable with the previously
published values for SBM (Kiran and Krishnamoorthy,
2007; Das et al., 2014; Heuzé et al., 2016).
The KOH soluble protein ranged from 65.5 to
83.1% across the samples indicating much variability in
the quality. The reports on KOH solubility of
commercial SBM in Indian market are scarce to
compare our results. Out of 12 different samples
analysed, 9 samples could be graded to contain good
quality protein since a KOH solubility range of 70-85%
is generally regarded as ideal for normal SBM
reflecting good quality of protein (Heuzé et al., 2016).
It is noteworthy here that KOH solubility is best suited
to judge over-processing and hence it is reasonable that
the 3 samples with <70% KOH solubility might have
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Indian J. Anim. Nutr. 2017. 34 (1): 118-120
solubility. In this direction, Araba and Dale (1990)
demonstrated that autoclaving SBM at 120°C for 5 and
80 min. decreased KOH solubility from 76.3 to 40.8%
which in turn caused growth depression in chicks (445
vs. 210 g; P<0.05) due to destruction of digestible lysine.
In addition, Parsons et al. (1991) also concluded that
KOH solubility test could serve as a simple in vitro test
gauging in vivo protein quality for monogastrics. On
the contrary, Willis (2003) stated that high KOH
solubility (93 vs. 78) reflecting under processing also
has adverse effect on chick weight gain (180 vs. 210 g;
P<0.05).
On account of variability in KOH solubility found
in commercial samples of SBM available in Indian
markets, it could be concluded that due caution may be
exerted during commercial procurement of the same by
feed compounding industry for desired nutrient utilisation.
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BIS. 1998. Bureau of Indian Standards. Specification for
solvent extracted soyabean oil cake (meal) as livestock
feed ingredient. IS: 10657, 1983. Reaffirmed (1998).
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 Mahesh et al.

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Received on 12-01-2017 and accepted on 31-01-2017

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Indian J. Anim. Nutr. 2017. 34 (1): 118-120