Soybean oil

Description

About Soybean oil: Soybean oil is vegetable oil, obtained from soybean seeds. It is one of the most widely used cooking oils and the second most widely used vegetable oil.

History: Chinese records dating back to 2000 BC mention the use of cultivated soybeans for the production of edible soybean oil. Ancient Chinese literature reveals that soybeans were widely cultivated and highly valued for the soybean oil production process before written records.

Composition: Soybean oil contains only trace amounts of fatty carboxylic acids (about 0.3% by mass in crude oil, 0.03% in refined oil). Instead it contains esters. In the following content, the expressions “fatty acid” and “acid” below refer to esters rather than carboxylic acids.

Per 100 grams, soybean oil contains 16 grams of saturated fat, 23 grams of monounsaturated fat and 58 grams of polyunsaturated fat. The major unsaturated fatty acids in soybean oil triglycerides are the polyunsaturated alpha-linoleic acid (C-18:3), 7–10%, and linoleic acid (C-18:2), 51%; and monounsaturated oleic acid (C-18:1), 23%. It contains the saturated fatty acids stearic acid (C-18:0), 4% and palmitic acid (C-16:0), 10%.

A high-proportion of oxidation-prone polyunsaturated fatty acids is undesirable for some uses, such as cooking oils. In 2004 three companies, Monsanto Company, DuPont / Bunge and Asoya introduced low linoleic Roundup Ready soybeans. Hydrogenation can be used to reduce the unsaturation of linoleic acid. The resulting oil is called hydrogenated soybean oil. If the hydrogenation is only partially complete, the oil may contain small amounts of Tran’s fat.

Trans-fats are commonly introduced during conventional oil deodorization, with a 2005 review identifying 0.4 to 2.1% Tran’s content in deodorized oils.

Food:  Soybean oil is mostly used for frying and baking. It is also used as a condiment for salads.

Medical use:  Soybean oil is indicated for parenteral nutrition as a source of calories and essential fatty acids.