St. Louis, Missouri
December 17, 2008
The long-awaited high-oleic
soybean trait being developed by the
Bunge
DuPont Biotech Alliance is
on-track for limited introduction in 2009 pending regulatory
approvals. This trait has not only been eagerly anticipated by
the food industry, which is receiving increasing demand from
consumers for trans fat alternatives, but also by the soybean
industry through its QUALISOY™
initiative.
QUALISOY recognizes what the introduction of this new trait
represents to the soybean industry and will work to encourage
the adoption of this trait among farmers. To exhibit its support
for the continued adoption of trait-enhanced soybeans, QUALISOY
also recently engaged the American Soybean Association to insert
a provision enacted with the Farm Bill called the Quality
Incentive Program. This program will provide additional
incentives to farmers to help offset the costs of growing
certain oilseeds that provide a health and functionality benefit
such as high-oleic soybeans.
“The food industry continues to search for trans-free oils at a
lower cost with improved stability,” says Pioneer Vice President
of Crop Development and QUALISOY Vice Chairman Dennis Byron.
“High-oleic soybean oil will offer far greater stability and
versatility in a wider variety of applications.”
Based on Pioneer’s 2008 harvest results, the high-oleic soybeans
contain at least 80 percent oleic acid, significantly increasing
the stability of the oil when used in frying and food
processing. In addition to delivering at least 80 percent oleic
acid, the high-oleic soybean oil trait has consistently
demonstrated a linolenic acid content of less than 3 percent,
and over 20 percent less saturated fatty acid than commodity
soybean oil.
“The introduction of high-oleic and high-oleic/high stearic
soybeans will yield oils that expand the already impressive
variety of applications for soybean oils,” explains President of
the Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils and QUALISOY Board
Member Robert L. Collette. “Oils from the high-oleic soybeans
will provide improved stability in frying applications that use
liquid oils. The high oleic/high-stearic oils will be stable
oils with added functionality for the preparation of many foods
where a certain amount of solids are needed.”
While the high-oleic soybean trait will bring numerous benefits
to the food industry, farmers will also reap additional rewards
by fetching a premium when they market high-oleic soybeans. This
added financial reward contributes to the long-term strength of
the soybean industry and enables success for Pioneer in
producing an output trait product with a direct consumer
benefit. These heart-healthy soybean traits are expected to
yield on par with the current popular varieties and be available
with SCN resistanceas well as resistance or tolerance to other
key soybean diseases.
QUALISOY is a collaborative effort among the soybean industry
to help market the development and availability of
trait-enhanced soybeans and soybean oil, reduce environmental
impacts of livestock production through improved soybean meal,
and improve the global competitiveness of the U.S. soybean
industry. A diverse 22-member QUALISOY Board of Directors sets
research priorities, evaluates existing and emerging
technologies, and sets quality standards for traits, products
and processes. For additional information on soybean industry
efforts, QUALISOY’s activities and its Board of Directors, visit
www.QUALISOY.com.
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