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Ignace DEBRUYNE: Doctorate in biochemistry and enzymology - Independent consultant and marketing director for the American Soybean Association (ASA)
INTRODUCTION
With global production of 155 million tonnes in 1999-2000, soybeans dominate and will continue to dominate the global vegetable oil and protein market, accounting for over 50% of global oilseed production by weight. As an oilseed crop, soy is a raw material of choice for a multitude of industries that use the whole soybean, its protein component or the oil. In Asia, soy is used in the preparation of several varieties of food products, while in the United States and Europe, it is mainly used for oil and meal.
There are hundreds of soybean varieties in the world, but only a few dozen are grown commercially. Soya is grown on a large scale in the United States, Brazil, Argentina and China.
By crushing, the beans are transformed into soybean oil and flour for human consumption, or into meal for animal feed. More than 130 million tonnes of soybeans are crushed worldwide every year. As with every process for extracting oil from oilseeds, three main stages are essential in soybean crushing: crushing, cooking and separation (pressing and/or extraction).
This article describes the chemical characteristics of soybeans, their cultivation, harvesting and transportation. It then describes the various stages in the crushing process and the finished products, i.e. crude soybean oil and soybean meal.
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Soya: processing and industrial aspects
Composition
Economic data
Soybean market
The USA accounted for almost 41% of world soybean production in the crop years of the early 2000s. Average annual production was 74 million tonnes between 2000 and 2003 (table 1 ). The 2001-2002 harvest reached a record 78.7 million tonnes (table 2 ). Other major producing countries...
Bibliography
Regulations
Commission Decision 96/281/EC of 3 April 1996 concerning the placing on the market of soybeans (Glycine max. L.) genetically modified for resistance to the herbicide glyphosate submitted in accordance with Council Directive 90/220/EEC. Official Journal of the European Communities, L 107, p. 10-11 (April 30, 1996).
Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of March 12, 2001...
Standards
American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS)
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Soybeans :
determination of protein content (%), AOCS method Ac 4-91 ;
determination of total oil content (%), AOCS method Ac 3-44 ;
moisture content...
Triturators, builders
These lists are not exhaustive.
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Soybean crushers
Archer Daniel Midlands (USA, South America, Europe, China) http://www.admworld.com
Bunge (United States, South America, Europe) http://www.bunge.com
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Organizations
Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA) http://www.gafta.com
Federation of Oils, Seeds and Fats Associations (FOSFA) http://www.fosfa.org
Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) http://www.cbot.com
...
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