Soybean processing and products research: progress contributed by the US Department of Agriculture

United States Department of Agriculture, and later Agricultural Research Service, researchers have contributed significantly to the food and non-food uses of soybeans. Most of the work was conducted at the four USDA/ARS regional (utilization) research laboratories in Peoria, IL, New Orleans, LA, Wyndmoor, PA, and Albany, CA. Early USDA contributions included improving the quality of soybean oil for food use and developing soyoil epoxide plasticizers and dimer resins. More recently, ARS researchers have developed printing inks, lubricants, composites, nutraceuticals, personal care products, glue, adsorbents, more stable and lower cost soy diesel, methods for improved oil stability without hydrogenation, and alternatives to hexane extraction of soybeans. Future efforts by ARS researchers, combined with collaborations with public and private sector interests, promise additional market opportunities for soybeans.