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Soybeans
 The Seemingly Simple
Soybean
The soybean is a part of our daily lives and many times we are
unaware of its presence. This seemingly simple bean is anything but simple. In
fact, the soybean is used in a broad range of products… from roasted soy
nuts, to salad dressings, to crayons, to lubricants and inks. The soybean is
processed into so many products we use every day, it's no wonder why it's
called the "miracle bean".
The
History of the Soybean
The soybean dates back 5,000 years ago to China, where the crop was cultivated
from its wild state into a food crop. In the early 1800s soybeans made their
debut in America, arriving as ballast aboard a
clipper ship from China. By the end of the century, many
American farms were growing the crop for food. In the early 1900s,
agricultural scientist George Washington Carver conducted studies that showed
soybeans to be an excellent source of protein and oil. Automotive pioneer
Henry Ford saw the potential to use soybeans in industrial products. He
manufactured car parts made from soybean based plastic. In the 1940s, soybean
fields in China – the world's major supplier of
soybeans – were devastated by World War II and an internal revolution. By
that time, soybeans became a major crop in the United States as we filled the gap and became
the world's leading soybean producer and exporter.
The
Mighty Soybean
In processing, soybeans are cleaned, cracked, de-hulled and rolled
into flakes. This ruptures the oil cells for efficient extraction. After
removal of the soybean oil, the remaining flakes can be processed into
various edible and industrial soy protein products or used to produce protein
meal for animal feed. The soybean's protein and oil find their way into many
edible, as well as, industrial products. The soybean's components can be used
for everything from chocolate candy coating to plastics and shampoo.
The approximate
composition of a soybean is listed below:
- 40% protein
- 20% oil
- 17% cellulose
- 7% sugars
- 6% ash
- 5% crude fiber
- 5% misc.
Soybean
Oil - Edible Oil
Soybean oil's
consistent supply, relatively stable price, neutral taste, culinary
adaptability, and good nutritional profile all contribute to its dominating
presence as America's #1 oil.
- soybean oil is
cholesterol-free
- soybean oil is the #1 edible
oil in the world and the most frequently consumed oil in the United States
- since 1989, United States' oil consumption has risen
over 17%
- more than 80% of the total United States' oil production is for the
food industry
- soybean oil is found in 95%
of prepared salad dressings, 85% of margarines and 70% of solid
shortenings
Some edible soybean
oil products include:
- coffee creamers
- bakery products
- cooking oils
- candies
- margarine
- sandwich spreads
- salad dressings
- vegetable shortening
- chocolate coatings
- mayonnaise
Soybean
Oil - Industrial Oil
Once soybean oil is
extracted from the bean, it can be used in its raw form, or refined and used
in a variety of industrial products. Extensive research is conducted by top
institutions throughout the United States to find new and improved uses
for soybeans as a renewable resource. These innovations help to maintain our
standard of living by decreasing our dependence on non-renewable resources like
petroleum from foreign markets.
- the United States produces approximately 15
billion pounds of soybean oil each year
- each bushel of soybeans can
be crushed to yield over 10 pounds of soybean oil
- nearly 60 million pounds of
biodegradable soybean oil are used in printing inks each year
Currently, industries
are using soybeans to manufacture a variety of industrial products such as:
- bio- diesel fuel
- dust
control agents
- printing
inks
- electrical
insulation
- paints
- epoxies
- pesticides
- anti-corrosion
agents
- plasticizers
- anti-static
agents
- soaps
- linoleum
backing
- shampoos
- metal
casting/working
- detergents
- protective
coatings
- caulking
compounds
- disinfectants
- waterproof
cement
- vinyl plastics
Whole
Soybeans - Nutritious Legumes
Soybeans belong to the legume family and are native to East Asia. Whole soybeans are the basis of
tofu, tempeh, miso, soy sauce, some soy flours and soy milk. High protein,
mineral-rich and unsaturated based whole soybean foods are a unique
nutritional source to help reduce saturated fat and total fat in the diet.
- medical research shows a
strong connection between soy foods and the prevention of heart disease,
osteoporosis, cancer and menopausal symptoms
- soy foods are rich in
protein, vitamins and minerals, calcium and iron
- 1 bushel of soybeans
produces 39 pounds of soy flour
- 1 bushel of soybeans
produces 11.8 pounds of isolated soy protein
- the United States accounts for half of the
world's soybean production
- American soybean farmers
produce over 2 billion bushels per year
- the United States exports 840 million
bushels, $4.6 billion worth per year
- Ohio produces nearly 175
million bushels of soybeans per year, and Ohio is the fifth largest
soybean producing state in the United States
Whole soybeans can go through many processes, such as soaking,
grinding, straining, fermenting, cracking, roasting and baking in order to
make a variety of products including:
- seeds
- roasted
soybeans
- stock
feeds
- candies
- baked
soybeans
- confections
- soy
flour
- crackers
- breads
- dietary
items
- soy
sauce
- tofu
- doughnut
mix
- soynut
butter
- frozen
desserts
- soy
coffee
- instant
milk drinks
- miso
- pancake
flour
- soy milk
- pie
crust
- sweet
goods
- tempeh
Soybean
Proteins - for Animals
Soybean meal is made from soybean flakes and hulls, and is universally
accepted as the most important supplemental protein ingredient in livestock
feed, such as swine, poultry, beef, fish, dairy cattle and also pets.
- 79.2% of a bushel of
soybeans is manufactured into soybean meal
- the United States produces approximately 34
million metric tons of soybean meal per year
- the United States uses 27 million metric tons
of soybean meal for livestock and poultry feed
- Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, China, and
the Philippines are the primary export
markets for United States' soybean meal.
Uses
for soybean meal include:
- cattle and dairy feeds
- aquaculture feeds
- poultry feeds
- calf milk replacers
- swine feeds
- fish food
- pet foods
- protein concentrates
Industrial
Proteins - for the Environment
Extensive research by the soybean industry has enabled important
innovations to take place. It's these innovations that are helping to improve
the quality and efficiency of many industrial products, while conserving our
limited resources and remaining…
- non-toxic
- biodegradable
- friendly to the environment
- renewable
Industrial uses for
soy protein include:
- adhesives
- particle boards
- asphalt emulsions
- plastics
- cleansing materials
- pharmaceuticals
- cosmetics
- inks
- textiles
- water based paints
Soybean Proteins
- Edible
Soybeans are the only vegetable food that contains complete protein
– a primary component of all cells. Complete protein is essential to
build and repair body tissue and to manufacture vital enzymes that are
specific catalysts for many of the chemical reactions that take place in the
body. The quality of soy protein matches that of animal protein, so
consumers can get the protein they need in a healthy, nutritious way.
- the soybean is composed of
40% protein
- soybeans are
cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat
The dry portion of the bean, left after de-hulling and oil
extraction, is used in many edible soy protein products such as:
- baby foods
- grits
- bakery ingredients
- meat product enhancers
- diet drinks
- beer
- noodles
- cereals
- yeast
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