Cargill constructs new soy protein plant

US agribusiness giant Cargill announced this week that it is to open a new soy protein isolate plant in Ohio, US. The plant, destined to make a wide array of soy protein products, is set for completion in the autumn of 2002.

The health benefits of soy have received wide coverage in recent years, both in Europe and the States, which has clearly had a significant impact on its popularity. The US Food and Drug Administration issued a health claim permitting food companies to highlight the cardiovascular health benefits of soy protein in their products. The claim informs consumers that a daily diet that includes 25 grams of soy protein and is low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease

Taste, however, has posed a problem for food developers but Cargill claims to have surmounted this obstacle.

"We have achieved a breakthrough in taste,"​ said Mary Thompson, vice president of Cargill's Soy Protein Solutions business. According to Cargill, the proprietary technical change will allow soy protein isolate to be easily used in beverages, bars, vegetarian meat products and prepared foods.

Most Americans shy away from soy products because of "that funny taste,"​ Thompson said. However she claims that Cargill now has the solution.

"Since our products taste so good, we expect many companies to be able to take advantage of the FDA health claim by adding our soy protein isolate to their products,"​ a confident Kevin Marcus, director of marketing for Cargill's Soy Protein Solutions business said.

Cargill's Soy Protein Solutions business is part of a larger Cargill initiative called Food System Design (FSD). Soy Protein Solutions, like the other three businesses under the FSD umbrella, works with customers to produce food system solutions.

"By building this state-of-the art soy protein isolate plant, Cargill Soy Protein Solutions will be well-positioned to deliver value and innovation and to work collaboratively with our customers,"​ Thompson said.