Developing a New Flavor for Soybeans
- Dave Price
- Sep 26
- 2 min read
As American soybean producers look toward a record fall harvest and wonder where future buyers will be if China continues to no longer purchase any due to the ongoing tariff fight with President Donald Trump, they might look to researchers at the University of Missouri.
According to a release from the University of Missouri, Researchers are looking to improve the potential of soybeans in three ways:
Improve the flavor of soy-based foods
Provide more health benefits from the beans
Appeal to a wider audience
It is a research focus on the food side of the beans, while others concentrate on expanding the fuel possibilities.
Bongkosh “Jeab” Vardhanabhuti, an associate professor of food science at the University of Missouri, leads the team of researchers. Part of the efforts focus on providing an alternative to the usual “beany” taste.
“The typical soy foods are soy milk, tofu, soy sauce, tempeh and miso,” Vardhanabhuti said. “People in Asian culture have been using soybean products for centuries. Now, more and more Western consumers are interested in soy products, and we are looking to offer options for everyone.”
The flavor is fine for those traditional soy offerings. But the research aims to alter the flavor to make it more appealing in other soy options.
RELATED: Soybeans also offer a reliable source of protein. This Florida development could soon be part of providing protein sources, too.
“The biggest challenge with soy is flavor,” she said. “Our research zeroes in on this issue. While the beany flavor might be acceptable in foods like tofu or soy milk, it’s less welcome in products such as plant-based burgers or protein shakes, where you don’t want the taste of soy dominating.”
A specialty bred Super soybean offers a healthier fat profile, has reduced sugars, and does not contain the enzyme called lipoxygenase. That enzyme creates some of that traditional soybean taste that the researchers work to modify.
Farm State Senator Criticizes Actions with Soybean Export Competitor
Meanwhile, a U.S. Senator from one of the nation’s top-producing soybean states wants the Trump administration to know that soybean farmers are suffering and getting impatient as they wait for trade deals to re-open export possibilities.
Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa and one of the few active farmers serving in Congress, expressed on X/Twitter frustrations from farmers as they wonder where their soybeans will find buyers.
Part of what drew Grassley’s strong disapproval was that the Trump administration is helping Argentina with taxpayer aid for its struggling economy. But Argentina recently dropped its 26% export tax on soybeans. That enticed China to buy more than a million tons of beans, instead of purchasing it from American producers like it once did.
China bought $12.6 billion in American soybeans last year but isn’t buying any right now, a huge blow to farmers since nearly one out of every two rows of U.S. beans had previously been exported to China.
RELATED: This is what is behind a recent dip in Iowa farmland values.
