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Soybean industry working to meet demand for trans-fat alternatives

The increase in consumer demand for healthier, trans-fat-free foods has prompted Nebraska soybean growers, soybean processors and the Nebraska Soybean Association to collaborate in order to help meet that growing demand.

Monsanto Co., the Nebraska Soybean Association and Ag Processing Inc. (AGP) hosted a meeting last week at the AGP soybean processing plant in Hastings, emphasized the role Nebraska farmers, processors and soybean industry leaders are playing to provide these healthy trans-fat alternatives.

"Oil from Vistive soybeans does not have to be hydrogenated due to the low-linolenic acid content," explained Malin Westfall, Vistive marketing manager for Monsanto. "By reducing or eliminating the need for hydrogenation, Vistive oil can result in zero-trans fat-foods, which is what consumers are demanding."

Westfall said more than 100 food companies, including Kentucky Fried Chicken and Kellogg's, are using Vistive oil to reduce or eliminate trans-fats in their products. Vistive low-linolenic soybeans, which were first offered by Monsanto in 2005, typically contain less than 3 percent linolenic acid as an oil component compared with 8 percent for commodity soybeans.

In 2007, these soybeans were grown on 1.5 million acres across the country in 12 states, including Nebraska, which next season is expected to rank among the top three Vistive-producing states.

"Some of our best yields this year came from the Vistive soybeans," said Jay Reiners, who farms near Hastings.

Mark Sandeen, AGP merchandising manager, said the demand for hydrogenated soybean oil has been shrinking over the past several years and the demand for trans-fat-free oil has increased.

"We are all working together to meet this consumer demand for trans-fat-free oil," he said.