High Oleic Soybean Oil

It can safely be said that every food manufacturer is aware of consumers' negative views toward trans fat. But, according to The United Soybean Boards (USB) "2011 Consumer Attitudes about Nutrition" study, more than one-third of consumers consider trans and saturated fats to be nutritionally about equalbad news for food products containing saturated fat. The good news is 67% of consumers recognize soybean oil as a healthy oil, and USB has been busy developing high oleic soybean oils with 75% oleic acid, zero grams of trans fat and 20% to 60% less saturated fat than conventional soybean oil. For the food manufacturer, high oleic soybean oils offer a host of functional benefits.

"High oleic oils provide nutritional and performance benefits," says Don Banks, president, Edible Oil Technology, Dallas, and consultant to USB. "By increasing total unsaturated fatty acidsparticularly monounsaturated fatty acidswhile lowering saturates, they support reduction of low-density lipoprotein while slightly increasing high-density lipoprotein. Saturates are lowered by reducing palmitic acid."

Further, soybean oil is the primary commercial source of alpha-tocopherol, or vitamin E, according to USB. This vitamin provides antioxidant defense against free-radical-induced cell damage and subsequent potential for risk of cancer, heart disease, cataracts, premature aging and arthritis. Soybean oil also contains exceptionally high quantities of gamma-tocopherol and delta-tocopherol that enhance the oils resistance to oxidation.

For food manufacturers and foodservice operators, the performance benefits of high oleic soybean oils are many. For one, the OSIs (Oil Stability Index) at 110oC for the high oleic soybean oils commonly exceed 25 hours, while commodity oils (such as soybean, corn, cottonseed, canola and sunflower) show values of 3 to 14 hours. 

"This high-stability oil can replace trans in frying and baking," Banks says. "But its heat stability and oxidative stability make its uses nearly limitless. It has a neutral flavor, is close to colorless and has no aroma, so there is no interference with the characteristic flavors and aroma that each product develops as it is fried. The oil can also be used at 100% or as a blend."

If a formulation calls for the flavor characteristics of peanut or olive oil, for example, those can be blended with high oleic oil for stability.

Two high oleic soybean oil varieties are available, according to USB, with reduced linolenic-acid content and a reduction in saturated fat (less than 12% and less than 7%, respectively, compared with 15% saturated fat in conventional soybean oil).

United Soybean Board

St. Louis, MO

Email: [email protected]

Website: soyconnection.com