U.S. Soy News
and Industry Updates

Keep up-to-date with the latest U.S. Soy news.

Type: Industry Articles | Market Update | Press Release
Topics: Conventional Soybean Oil | Functionality | Health & Nutrition | High Oleic Soybean Oil | Regulatory & Approvals | Sourcing | Supply & Availability | Testimonials
  • Soy Protein Isolate: Enabling The Next Generation Of Healthy, High Protein Foods, And Beverages

    Soy protein isolate (SPI) is changing the landscape of the food industry by providing a versatile and protein-rich ingredient that caters to the growing consumer demand for healthy, high-protein and plant-based products. With an impressive 90% protein content on a moisture-free basis, SPI serves as a concentrated source of plant-based protein that stands out for its versatility and affordability, as well as its superior nutrition and health benefits. Versatility in Food Applications What makes SPI particularly valuable…


  • Shielding Shelf Life

    As consumers grow increasingly health-conscious about the foods they eat, bakers are reformulating their offerings with healthier ingredients and cleaner labels to boost product appeal. One way many accomplish this is by reducing the saturated fat content in their baked goods or snacks. “Saturated fats and particularly partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) have been shown to have serious detrimental effects on consumers’ health,” said Jennifer Young, manager, natural food protection, antioxidant applications, Kalsec. “In order to…


  • The Future of Farming in Missouri

    Agriculture is an integral part of Missouri’s economic makeup. According to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, the Show Me State is home to nearly 88,000 farms, averaging 803 acres a piece, and the industry is valued at $93.7 billion. Meagan Kaiser sat down with the Missouri Times to discuss the future of farming, including what the future may hold for farmers and what steps can be taken to ensure future generations will inherit those opportunities.…


  • America is Poised to Embrace Tofu

    Worldwide Director of Oil and Soyfood Programs (USSEC), Will McNair, connected with Jordan Wiklund at The Food Institute to discuss tofu’s role and reputation in the alternative protein space, highlighting three benefits as a plant-based protein option – affordability, flavor, and versatility. “In today’s alternative protein space, the possibilities tofu offers are turning heads. More flavorful than most plant-based products and affordable to boot, tofu checks a lot of boxes as a middle-of-the-road protein alternative that…


  • Are Consumers Willing to Pay More for Sustainable, Soy-Fed Pork?

    Seven in ten consumers consider an animal’s diet essential to their meat purchasing decisions, according to a 2023 U.S. Soy survey. Notably, half of consumers view soy-fed meat as healthier, higher quality, and more nutritious. U.S. Soy joined forces with three different grocery retailers over several years—Giant Eagle, a Midwestern retail chain*, and Coborn’s—to put these statistics to the test and understand if consumers are willing to put their money where their mouth is. The outcome?…


  • Has Tofu Gone Mainstream?

    U.S. soy nutrition expert Pam Smith, RDN, connected with Grace Garwood at The Food Institute to discuss the nutritional benefits and versatile applications of tofu.  Tofu is enjoying a new era of popularity thanks to its adaptability and nutritional clout. But despite its position as a plant-based powerhouse, this longtime vegan staple has its own share of hurdles to overcome.  “As a soyfood, tofu is one of the few plant-based proteins that’s a complete protein,…


  • Unlocking Umami

    U.S. soy nutrition expert Pam Smith, RDN, connected with Katie Ayoub at Flavor & The Menu to discuss the nutritional and flavor-boosting qualities of natto and koji.In the ongoing quest to dial up umami and deliver on the promise of craveability, it’s worth diving into the modern menu potential of two distinctive ingredients: koji and natto. We sat down with Pam Smith, RDN, founder of Orlando, Fla.-based Shaping America’s Plate, a menu/concept/flavor consultancy, to get…


  • 4 Ways to Meet Your ESG Goals in the New Year

    Do your organizational ESG goals entail supporting regenerative farming practices, reducing your carbon footprint, or ensuring transparency in your supply chain? If so, U.S.-grown soy ingredients – such as soybean oil and soy protein – can help you achieve these goals, all while setting you apart from competitors and catering to customer demand. Here are four ways you can meet your ESG goals in the new year. 1. Support Regenerative Farming Adopting U.S.-grown soy ingredients means supporting U.S. farms, 96 percent…


  • Reduce Fat With Finesse

    Fats and oils contribute greatly to many of consumers’ favorite bakery and snack products.       “In baked goods, fats and oils serve a multitude of functions, including flavor, flavor release, texture, mouthfeel, volume creaminess, aeration, moisture retention and shelf life,” said Frank Flider, oils consultant, United Soybean Board.      However, more consumers today are looking to decrease their intake of saturated fats, which are calorie-dense and pose health risks when consumed in high…


  • U.S. Farmers Maintain Reliable Food Source Amid a Global Pandemic

    From producer to processor to consumer, U.S. farmers are determined to meet the demand for soy ingredients—including high oleic soybean oil and complete proteins—as food manufacturers adapt to new marketplace trends. continue reading.


  • Fat innovation centers on sugar reduction

    People staying at home during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are munching more on cookies, chips and other snacks. Fat and oil selection plays a role in how healthy those snacks are. Oil blends are one way to reduce the amount of saturated fat in products. continue reading


  • Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery | Chasing Clean

    If it seems as though what’s not in a product these days is as important as what…  continue reading.


  • IFT.org | Rethinking Fats

    Today’s fats and oils ingredients category continues to evolve. In recent years, the food industry undertook a large reformulation effort after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in June 2015 announced that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) would lose their generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status. With a requirement to remove PHOs from the food supply by June 2018, manufacturers of fats and oils worked with food developers and foodservice operators to find the optimal alternatives…


  • Bountiful Soybean Harvest Ready to Meet Surging Oil Demand

    The latest projection released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) promises a plentiful supply of soybeans through 2018 and projections show crops breaking records1. In its September 12 report, the USDA increased the soybean yield by 0.5 bushels per acre while keeping harvested acreage unchanged. This results in a projection of the soybean crop at 4,431 million bushels, almost 3 percent greater than last year’s previous record1. In its August World Agricultural Supply…


  • USDA Sees Record Demand For Soybean Oil As Biodiesel Feedstock

    In late October, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decided not to move forward with reducing the biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuel requirements after the organization received backlash from corn-state lawmakers who expressed concerns that the moves would undercut ethanol demand.1 In the USDA’s December supply demand update (WASDE), demand for soybean oil during the current marketing year as biodiesel feedstock was raised from 7 billion pounds to 7.5 billion pounds, a record amount.2 The WASDE…


  • Final Step For Global Trade: High Oleic Soybeans Receive EU Approval

    ST. LOUIS (January 18, 2018) – The soybean industry successfully passed the final regulatory measure to secure global approval for trade of high oleic soybeans upon receiving the European Commission’s authorization on Dec. 22, 2017 to use the stacked traits found in Pioneer brand Plenish® high oleic soybeans for food and feed.1 This monumental decision, combined with final global approval Monsanto’s Vistive® Gold high oleic soybeans received upon China’s authorization of importation in June 2017,2 increases the reliability of supply…


  • Price Volatility Returns To The Soybean Complex

    On April 4, 2018, soybean futures quotes suffered a highly volatile day upon China’s announcement of import tariffs on U.S. soybeans. Soybean futures dropped over five percent in value before recovering about half that loss on the market.1 However, subsequent to the announcement, soybean futures recovered all of the immediate loss. This positive turn can be explained by three factors: the recent dialogue between Chinese and American officials, the demand of U.S. soy regardless to any…


  • Potential Impact Of China’s Retaliatory Soybean Tariff On The Soybean Oil Market

    To some extent, soybean oil is a residual commodity, secondary to soybean meal, in driving processing rates and influencing complex prices. Crush rates are driven primarily by immediate soybean meal demand, and soybean oil inventories at crushing plants vary based on the balance of demand between soybean oil and soybean meal at any given time. Roughly half the soybeans grown in the U.S. are exported as whole beans. On average, China buys half of the…


  • FDA Authorizes Qualified Health Claim for Oils High In Oleic Acid

    ST. LOUIS, November 21, 2018 – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the use of a qualified health claim citing that oils high in oleic acid, such as high oleic soybean oil, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Food companies with existing products which meet FDA requirements can consider adding the health claim to labels of foods made with the ingredient (with inclusion of the proper disclaimers), and brands seeking to source heart-healthy ingredients…


  • U.S.-Grown Soybean Oil Achieves FDA’s Qualified Heart Health Claim

    ST. LOUIS, August 1, 2017 – The Food and Drug Administration authorized the use of a qualified health claim confirming soybean oil’s ability to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.1 Soybean oil is the most widely used edible oil in the United States.2 Most oils sold as vegetable oil are soybean oil. The new heart healthy claim, which food manufacturers are encouraged to add to the label of qualified soybean oil and soybean oil-containing products*, states: “Supportive…


  • Stakeholders React To EPA Biodiesel Program

    The October 2017 update focused on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) notification of reducing the biomass-based diesel and on the advanced biofuel volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard. However, after numerous farm belt legislators were critical of this decision by EPA, the agency backed off those plans.1 In addition, the Commerce Department set higher-than-expected anti-dumping penalties against imported Argentine biodiesel.2 On November 9, 2017, the USDA issued its latest crop production estimates. Soybean production was…


  • Refined Soybean Oil Prices Chart A Separate Course From Crude Soybean Oil Futures

    As the trade dispute with China accelerates, and a very good and slightly early 2018 soybean crop has become virtually assured, both soybeans and crude soybean oil futures have been in a general decline. Soybean futures prices are off nearly 25 percent and soybean oil futures are off over 15 percent from May. However, refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD) soybean oil prices in the spot cash market are off a mere $0.01 per pound. The…


  • American Heart Association Releases New Advisory On Dietary Fats And Cardiovascular Disease

    Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the leading global cause of death, accounting for 17.3 million deaths per year, and it is anticipated that this number will increase to more than 23.6 million by the year 2030. Since 1961, the American Heart Association (AHA) has recommended reduction in dietary saturated fat to reduce the risk of CVD. A new AHA Presidential Advisory reviews and examines the scientific evidence supporting this longstanding recommendation to decrease saturated fat intake,…


  • Monsanto Receives Key Import Approval To Enable 2018 Launch Of Vistive® Gold Soybeans

    ST. LOUIS (June 16, 2017) – The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture recently granted approval for the import and food/feed use of Monsanto’s MON 87705 soybean. This approval is for a key component of Monsanto’s Vistive® Gold soybeans that produce a low-saturate, high-oleic soybean oil. With this approval, Monsanto will now begin commercial preparation for the full-scale launch of Vistive Gold soybeans in 2018. Vistive Gold soybeans contain the low-saturate, high-oleic trait which will enable food companies to…


  • The Scientific Data Are Clear: Soy Protein Provides Heart Health Benefits

    Soy protein lowers blood cholesterol levels according to years of scientific evidence1-10 and the conclusions of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and health agencies in Canada11 and 11 other countries.12 Nevertheless, the FDA recently announced it is proposing to change the existing heart health claim for soy protein. The possible change to a “qualified” health claim indicates that while the FDA believes the scientific evidence still supports consumption of soy protein as a means of…


  • Eliminate Trans Fat from Foods with Domestically Produced, Sustainable Soy-Based Solutions

    ST. LOUIS, June 16, 2015 – America’s soybean farmers are well positioned to help food companies eliminate partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in food products, the primary source of artificial trans fat in the American diet. This need is dictated by the Food and Drug Administration’s announcement today to revoke “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) status from PHOs. The food industry reduced the amount of trans fat in food products by 75 percent over the last decade.…


  • QUALISOY and the United Soybean Board Back Next Generation Oils Solution

    ST. LOUIS, July 15, 2013 – The next big thing in edible oils recently received substantial support from the soybean industry. High oleic soybean oils provide food companies increased functionality across multiple applications and meet nutrition needs consumers demand. The United Soybean Board (USB) and QUALISOY® announced a commitment to the success of high oleic soybean oils for the food industry. USB pledged $60 million over the next five years to quickly expand seed production of high oleic soybean varieties across a…