Soya bean also referred to as “meat of
the field” or “meat without bones” is an annual antioxidant-rich legume
with high protein content.
It had been a popular food crop in Asian
countries like Korea, China and Japan since ancient times but was
introduced to the United States in the 19th century from where it has
received deservedly unprecedented global attention.
The US initially adopted it as a forage
crop until the 1920s when the Soil Conservation Service stimulated its
increased cultivation in cotton plantations as a means of replenishing
the fertility of soils depleted by cotton cropping.
Increased production triggered advances
in soy processing technology, propelling soya into a major economic crop
ranking only after corn and wheat.Today, the United States produces
over a third of the world’s soya beans.
Soy is one of the food products that
have bounced Brazil back to economic reckoning. Today, Brazil is one of
the world’s largest producers and exporters of the commodity after the
United States.
Over 80 per cent of the world’s soya
bean crop is processed into meal and vegetable oil, and virtually all of
that meal is used in the production of animal feed.
A negligible
percentage of the soy meal is further processed into soy flours and
proteins for food use.
Soya can be manipulated and flavoured to
produce a meat-like texture to simulate meat products like chicken,
sausage, beef, and so on which can be used as filling for many fast
foods like sausage rolls, hamburgers and so on.
In bakery, Soy proteins increase water absorption and help improve shelf life through moisture retention.
Soy oil dominates world oilseed trade.
95 per cent of the oil is consumed as edible oil; while the balance
serves as industrial raw materials in the production of paint, varnish,
linoleum, and rubber fabrics, cosmetics including soaps, creams, and
massage oils, etc. It also readily finds application in the production
of biodiesel.
Of all the benefits of soya, it is most cherished for its nutrient value as a vegetarian alternative to animal proteins.
Health experts posit that children fed
on soy milk suffer less from ear infections than those fed with cow milk
because soy is less likely to cause allergies that cause inflammation
of the Eustachian tubes in young children.
Also, as red meats, eggs and other
animal products become more unpopular amongst middle agers and senior
citizens, soya comes in as a low cholesterol replacement.
Soy distinguishes itself as a protein
plant that contains all eight amino acids essential for human health.
It
is therefore very useful in the production of food fortifiers and other
products that enhance immunity.
Soya bean are one of the few plant
sources of omega-3 fatty acids which have been found useful in the
dietary reduction of risk as well treatment of malnutrition, heart
disease and cancer.
Soybean was introduced into Nigeria in
the early 1900s while export started in 1947. On the global scene,
trade in soya beans holds a lucrative promise as the market is currently
practically dominated by a few countries, leaving room for new entrants
like Nigeria; if we are willing to utilise our comparative advantage in
this area.
2007 figures placed Nigeria as the 11th
largest producer of soya, 35th of cattle, and 36th in pork production
and 41st in poultry.
Obviously, the nation has advantage in
soy production that can be scaled up to a competitive level to immensely
benefit the economy.
The Federal Institute of Industrial
Technology,Oshodi,which pioneered the processing and utilisation of soya
beans into various food products, says the processing technologies are
available for adoption by interested investors.
The Director-General of the Institute,
Dr. Gloria Elemo, says, “FIIRO is investigating the use of soybeans in
the formulation of a nutrient rich food beverage suitable for people
living with HIV/AIDS.
This is intended to help manage the course of the
disease in affected people.”
The production of concentrates and
isolates, which is in high demand in contemporary industry, though
capital intensive, is direly needed to catapult the nation into the big
time.
According to Dr. Augustine Okoruwa
during Soy Summit 2010, the nation should take advantage of the
versatility that soya offers as an affordable, nutritious food and food
supplement as well as feed meal with the potential to spawn ample
business opportunities both in its production and processing value
chain.
This would usher economic empowerment to
both rural and urban poor as well as spur establishment of both small
and medium scale industries; thereby enhancing the quality of life in
the nation through enhanced nutrition and wealth creation.
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