about
In the late 1990s, farmers representing the United Soybean Board (USB) recognized the need to engage in an ongoing dialogue with food processors and manufacturers to help guide production strategies. While the food industry offered praise for the well-balanced nutritional profile of liquid soybean oil, they indicated a need for a fatty- acid profile that offered more stability for use in baking and frying applications. Their request was to find ways to reduce or eliminate trans-fatty acids (trans fats), a byproduct of hydrogenation.
Based on that input and emerging research about the effect of trans fats on cholesterol levels, the Ohio Soybean Council decided to take action. In 2006, the Council launched an ambitious campaign called Soy Oil Ohio to promote the use of zero trans fat cooking oil processed from a new soybean variety.
This campaign targets Ohio farmers in an effort to promote planting of new healthier soybeans, as well as food service providers to educate them about how cooking oil processed from these new varieties of soybeans can eliminate or significantly reduce trans fats.
As part of the Soy Oil Ohio campaign, OSC developed an advisory committee to its board of directors. The committee is comprised of representatives from food service industries, health organizations, seed companies, processors and farmers.
