Evaluation of Infants Fed Soybean and Evaporated Milk Formulae from Birth to Three Months: A Comparison of Weight, Length, Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, and Plasma Biochemical Values

The use of soybean preparations in human nutrition has received much attention in the past 50 years. In 1909, Ruhräh¹ suggested the use of a soybean gruel or milk as a valuable addition to the diet of the sick infant. More recently, however, this legume has had its principal use as a food for allergic infants.^2-9 The successful growth and reproduction of animals fed a soybean base formula was reported separately by Daniels and Nichols¹⁰ and by Osborne and Mendel¹¹ in 1917. Howard and co-workers¹² have reported the support of reproduction and lactation in several generations of animals fed a soybean infant food (Mull-Soy, Powdered).

In 1929, Tso¹³ fed newborn infants a soybean mixture until they were between 6 and 9 months of age. One was started at birth and five at a few weeks of age. The weight curves on these infants followed