The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reviewed five value-added soy products, which will facilitate distribution of more soy products in US humanitarian assistance programs. The American Soybean Association (ASA) and Qualified State Soybean Boards (QSSB) provided nutritional, pricing and other information to USDA for the review of defatted soy flour, soy protein concentrates, isolated soy protein, textured vegetable proteins and soy milk replacer.

The USDA Farm Service Agency assessment is valuable to USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) as they consider the soy products for P.L. 480 and other humanitarian assistance efforts. US soy oil and a corn-soy blend are already commonly used products in humanitarian assistance efforts by Private Voluntary Organizations, (PVOs), such as CARE and Catholic Relief Services, as well as the United Nation’s World Food Programme. US aid programs utilized 14.8 million bushels of US soy products overseas during 2000.

“USDA’s review of these products opens the door for new offerings of soy’s nutritional benefits to people who need it around the world,” said Dwain Ford, Chairman of ASA’s Trade Policy and International Affairs Committee. “This assessment is just one of the many activities we are initiating through the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) Program.”

ASA and QSSBs launched WISHH to further the use of US soy products in developing countries where rapidly growing populations of all income levels can benefit from soy in their diets. WISHH activities range from identifying new uses for soy-fortified noodles in Indonesia, to providing a corn-soy blend to hurricane victims in Nicaragua, and to research on how soy-based foods may provide essential nutrition to the millions of people affected by HIV/AIDS.

The WISHH Program also aids US PVOs that can request the soy products from USDA and USAID for their international assistance efforts. WISHH supports PVOs in developing proposals to USDA and USAID for use of soy products that will benefit the people receiving assistance from the PVOs.

The newly reviewed products offer positive options for PVOs and others. Soy flour provides a nutritional boost to breads, tortillas or in ground meat, while soy protein concentrates can serve as a protein supplement. Uses for soy protein isolates range from nutritional beverages to soups, sauces and spreads. Textured vegetable proteins can be used to make vegetarian foods as well as salad toppings. Soy milk replacers can play a valuable role in feeding the many lactose-intolerant people in developing countries.