| Soyfoods Consumption Rising |
| Monday, 17 January 2011 17:44 | |||
 The U.S. Market, January 2011 — For those of us old enough to remember, back in the far reaches of the 1970’s, soyfoods hit the U.S. market for the first time. Even though soy had been a regular staple in Middle East and Asian diets for centuries, the growing of soybeans didn’t really catch on in this country until the early 20th century, and even then (as now) was limited to about a third of the country, due to weather and soil conditions.
When soyfoods first became available to a greater segment of the population, it wasn’t much to write home about. The market was brand new, and little research as to how to prepare this raw product was known. As a result, foods made from soy tended to be beany and bitter, with an unacceptable mouthfeel. Except for tofu, which was then being consumed by only a small sliver of the population, the idea of soyfoods generally came, but promptly went. But by the early 1990’s, technology was beginning to catch up, and dieticians had begun working together to transform soy into an edible, healthy alternative to meat and potatoes. Even so, projections made by experts in the late 90’s suggested that the demand for soyfoods (including soy milk) while then growing, would begin to level off by 2003-2005. That didn’t happen, and even with the economic crisis that followed, soyfood consumption, led by a growing aging population, drove that growth. Soyfood consumption projections are much more promising today: Reports indicate the global market for soyfoods will be worth billions in a few years, and worth close to $5 billion in the U.S. alone. Whole soy foods, such as soy milk, tofu and meat analogs, represent the biggest market segment. However, soy ingredients, such as protein used in cereal bars and fortified drinks, are expected to grow at a rate of 3-4% a year. A significant claim was given to Soyfoods in 1999, when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a health claim linking soy foods with heart disease risk reduction. As well as heart benefits, soy has also been linked to a positive effect on bone health, menopause symptoms and cancer. Today the U.S. is second only to the Asian market in the sale of soyfoods, as more healthy (and tasty) products come to market, while the sales of soymilk, tofu and tempeh continue to grow, as consumers’ quest for a healthier lifestyle continues. SOURCE: Foodnavigator.com
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