The International Soybean Program (INTSOY) in the National Soybean Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois has been selected as the first recipient of the 2005 Bor S. Luh International Award from the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).

The award recognizes INTSOY’s dedicated service in enhancing the nutritional and health needs of people around the world and contributing to their economic and social development. IFT is a nonprofit scientific society with more than 27,000 members working in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, universities, and government.

INTSOY has served since 1972 as a worldwide center of excellence in soybean processing and utilization. Its mission is to improve human nutrition around the world through the expanded use of soybeans.

The primary objectives are to develop soybean processing and utilization technologies that are appropriate for developing countries and to promote their application. The food technologists and home economists at INTSOY have incorporated soy products into hundreds of food products and recipes that are culturally relevant to target populations worldwide.

A trio of visionaries at the University of Illinois, led by Professor Alvin I. Nelson of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, realized the potential of an entity such as INTSOY to extend the benefits of soy to developing countries. Building upon that group’s groundbreaking work in the 1970s and 1980s, INTSOY developed systems for soy processing and utilization intended for international businesses and consumers.

Embedded within INTSOY’s applied research program is a strong educational and extension component. The program’s dedicated pilot plant, test kitchens, and center for product development and sensory evaluation are used extensively by students, faculty members, and industry partners to develop customized solutions to real-life challenges.

Since its inception, INTSOY has trained more than 1,000 food technologists, business leaders, government policymakers, personnel from private voluntary organizations, nutrition educators, and scientists from around the world. Special emphasis is placed on empowering small- and medium-scale business owners with knowledge, appropriate technologies, and the experience needed to make a difference in their home countries.

Additional information about the INTSOY Program is available at web.aces.uiuc.edu/intsoy/.