Approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of a new soy health claim is good news for consumers and soybean growers, according to the American Soybean Association (ASA). ASA First Vice President Tony Anderson, a soybean producer from Mount Sterling, Ohio, participated in a news conference today in Washington, D.C., to discuss the FDA’s authorization of health claims on food labels that associate soy protein with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.

FDA published its final rule today that soy protein included in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by lowering blood cholesterol levels. As a result, food labels may now contain messages, such as "25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease."

Experts consider high blood cholesterol levels as being over 240. According to the American Heart Association, one in five Americans, or about 54 million people, fall into this group.

"If these 54 million people with high blood cholesterol consumed the recommended 25 grams of soy protein each day, the ASA estimates the demand for soybeans would grow by more than 55 million bushels annually," Anderson said. "We anticipate the soy protein health claim could nearly double the amount of soy protein consumed in human food in the United States if these people would consume the recommended 25 grams of soy protein each day.

Research funded by the soybean checkoff shows that the use of our soybeans in food will increase at a rate of 10 percent a year for the next five years, up from about 37 million bushels to more than 60 million bushels.

The figure would be five times higher if all 271 million U.S. citizens consumed the recommended 25 grams of soy protein each day. This level of consumption would result in an increased demand for soybeans of more than 276 million bushels annually.

"Soybean producers also know that our greatest potential lies beyond our borders," Anderson said. "With 5.3 billion customers overseas, ASA is going to be working hard to spread the news about the U.S. health claim to international customers."

Soybean farmers, through their checkoff program, helped provide the necessary research that helped the FDA make the decision. Consumers can attain more information about soy foods to help meet the new soy health claim by calling 1-800-TALKSOY or on the Internet at http://www.talksoy.com.