Soybean meal is a byproduct of soybean oil extraction. It is a concentrated source of protein and energy for animals of all ages due to its excellent amino acid composition and high level of digestibility. However, there are anti-nutritional factors that affect its protein quality and limit the bioavailability of other nutrients.

The heat-treatment of soybean meal can be sufficient in completely inactivating anti-nutritional factors like trypsin inhibitors and urease that soybean meals contain. It can result in more efficient utilisation of dietary protein.