What is QUALISOY™?
QUALISOY is a one-of-a-kind agricultural initiative designed to unite the soybean industry with a goal of bringing healthier, more functional products to the marketplace.

How will QUALISOY produce healthier products?
The specific goals that are part of the QUALISOY initiative include reducing the linolenic fatty acid levels and increasing the oleic fatty acid levels to reduce or eliminate the need for hydrogenation in most food applications. Another goal is to reduce the amount of saturated fat in soybean oil for improved human health.

Why would the soybean industry want to reduce the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in soybean oil?
It’s important to note that liquid soybean oil that has not been hydrogenated does not contain trans fatty acids (trans fats) and has a very favorable nutritional profile and includes omega-3 fatty acids. It’s high in poly- and monounsaturated fats and relatively low in saturated fat. Companies that use liquid soybean oil in products like salad oil, salad dressings, mayonnaise, pizza dough and other products are very pleased with the oil just as it is, and will continue to use soybean oil without modifications.

When oil is partially hydrogenated, a principal objective is to reduce the concentration of the components that are subject to rapid oxidation. Since linolenic acid oxidizes very rapidly, processing is designed to reduce linolenic to a trace level (less than three percent). When the new soybean oils containing reduced levels of linolenic acid are used in place of partially hydrogenated soybean oil, the net result will be an increase in omega-3s rather than a reduction in all products that are currently using hydrogenated oil.

What does the scientific data show when it comes to trans fats and human health?
Scientific evidence suggests that trans fats behave similarly to saturated fats in the body, elevating LDL cholesterol and potentially increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Some of the more recent studies also suggest that trans may decrease HDL levels.

Why can’t the food industry just stop using hydrogenated oils and replace them with other types of oils?
Partially hydrogenated oils were introduced to replace tropical oils and animal fat, which are high in saturated fats. In light of the new data on trans and human health, the food industry is actively looking for ways to reduce or eliminate trans-fats in food products. Reformulating popular products in a way that satisfies consumer expectations can be challenging. Food scientists must take into account texture, flavor and the shelf life of the finished product. Early test results from the new soybean oils indicate that the overall quality of food product is not compromised.

Already, processing techniques such as interesterification, blending and improved hydrogenation are being used to significantly reduce the amount of trans fats in products.

Are trans fats listed on food labels?
The FDA required food manufacturers to include trans fats as a line item on the Nutrition Facts panel effective January 1, 2006. Products containing 0.5 grams or more of trans fats will be subject to mandatory labeling.

When will reduced-trans or trans-free soybean oil be commercially available as a result of QUALISOY?
Soybean farmers are confident that QUALISOY will continue to expedite trait development by uniting the industry and creating an environment of 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.

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

© 2008 QUALISOY