Little is known about inhalable dust concentrations in
soybean processing plants in southern Africa. This
project measured inhalable dust in soybean plants in
the region and correlated dust measurements with
total protein and soy trypsin inhibitor. Sixty-four personal
inhalable dust measurements were taken in three
processing plants. Levels of total protein and soy
trypsin inhibitor were determined in only two of the
three plants. Correlations between inhalable dust, total
protein and trypsin inhibitor were determined for 44
of 64 samples. In plants’ production areas, inhalable
dust levels were 0.24–35.02 mg/m3 (median 2.58
mg/m3). Total protein and soy trypsin inhibitor levels
were 29.41–448.82 ìg/m3 (median 90.09 ìg/m3) and
0.05–2.58 ìg/m3 (median 0.07 ìg/m3), respectively.
No statistically significant correlations between presence
of inhalable dust and soy trypsin inhibitor were
found. Total protein and soy trypsin inhibitor were
better correlated. This study indicates that total protein
might be a good proxy for soybean specific protein concentrations
in soybean processing plants.