What is QUALISOY™?
QUALISOY™ is a one-of-a-kind agricultural initiative designed to unite the soybean industry with a goal of helping to market the development and availability of healthier, more functional products available in the marketplace.

How will QUALISOY benefit food manufacturers?
Feedback from food industry representatives indicated a need for more naturally stable oils that do not require hydrogenation and thus, free of trans fat acids (trans fats). Additionally, 90 percent of consumers remain somewhat or very concerned about the nutritional content of food (source: United Soybean Board’s 2007 Consumer Attitudes About Nutrition survey). Introducing healthier oils is one of the primary strategic goals of the QUALISOY initiative and it is already being achieved in the short term through low-linolenic oils, and in the long term, through trait development and cultivation.

How widely used is soybean oil?
Soybean oil is used more than any other vegetable oil for the development of margarine and other processed foods. In fact, 90 to 95 percent of the margarine produced in the United States contains soybean oil, and soybean oil is the most commonly used vegetable oil used to produce mayonnaise and salad dressings.

What modifications are being made to eliminate trans fats in soybeans?
In terms of soybean trait enhancement, lowering the linolenic fatty acid levels to < 3% and increasing the oleic fatty acid levels to > 50% will reduce or eliminate the need for hydrogenation in most food applications. Trans fats are a byproduct of partial hydrogenation. Already, processing techniques such as interesterification, blending and improved hydrogenation are being used to significantly reduce the amount of trans fats in products.

When did the new trans fat labeling regulations take effect?
As of January 1, 2006 the Food and Drug Administration requires food manufacturers to include trans fats on the Nutrition Facts panel. Products containing 0.5 grams or more of trans fats are subject to mandatory labeling.

When will reduced-trans or trans-free soybean oil be commercially available as a result of QUALISOY?
The QUALISOY initiative has helped unite the industry and create an environment for increased cooperation. Changing the composition of a commodity crop the size of soy is no small undertaking.

Currently available trait-enhanced soybean oils include Advantage LL brand soy oil processed by Cargill; VISTIVE™ low-linolenic soy oil processed by Archer Daniels Midland Company, Ag Processing, Cenex Harvest States and Zeeland Farms; TREUS™ brand soy oil, developed in partnership by Bunge and DuPont; and Asoyia Ultra Low-Lin soybean oil. In the coming years, it is estimated that additional soybean varieties will be widely available to meet food industry and consumer needs. The breakthrough of low-linolenic soybean oil has and will continue to benefit the food industry and could add an estimated $100 million per year to the value of soybean commodities. Nearly 60 million pounds of low-linolenic soybean oil was produced from the 2005 soybean crop, 285 million pounds from the 2006 crops, and it is estimated that 800 million pounds will be produced in 2007. Experts predict that 1.3 billion pounds may be available in 2008.

There are currently no plans to market QUALISOY branded oils or products at retail stores.

Will these trait modifications affect the neutral flavor or general functionality of soybean oil?
Soybean oil has become the most widely used edible oil because of its neutral flavor and favorable functionality characteristics. Input from product development specialists and edible oil experts helped establish the target levels for linolenic and oleic fatty acids. All QUALISOY varieties are required to undergo analytical and functionality testing for quality control.

Where could I obtain a sample of low-linolenic soybean oil?
Download reference sheet.

Are the improved soybeans genetically modified?
Some of the improved trait enhanced seeds are not genetically modified, therefore GMO free. Future varieties will be Roundup Ready®, which contain in-plant tolerance to Roundup brand herbicides, enabling growers to spray labeled Roundup brands over the top from emergence throughout flowering for superior weed control, excellent crop safety and maximum yield potential.

© 2005 QUALISOY