Growth potential for soybean oil products as industrial materials

Abstract

Crude soybean oil, as a major source of edible oil for the world, is available on such a scale that it serves additionally as the origin for many industrial applications and for such materials as phospholipids (lecithins, cephalins), tocopherols (for vitamin E), sterols (for pharmaceuticals) and recovered fatty acids from acidulated soapstocks. The latter always have offered the oleochemicals manufacturer a low cost source of valuable fatty acids, and soybean oil itself, after hydrogenation, serves as the most readily available, lowest cost source of 90% stearic acid from among all fats and oils. As an alternative to alkali refining and the soapstock produced, physical refining of the degummed soybean oil is a potential source for fatty acids and for recovery of larger amounts of valuable sterols and tocopherols, but this process severely degrades the oxidation stability of the fatty acids.

The largest potentials for growth in industrial applications are for soybean oil itself in pesticide dispersion and grain dust control; triglycerides and fatty acids split therefrom for 90% stearate oleochemicals and selected food additivies; fatty acids from soapstocks up-graded medium-grade oleochemicals, medium-grade soaps for industrial cleaning operations, and in animal feeds and pet foods; phospholipid gums in fractionated and modified lecithins and cephalins; soy deodorizer distillates containing α-to copherol (vitamin E) and sterol-derived sex hormones. Inclusion of food additives, feed and pet food additives with the more usual industrial markets results in the conclusion that industrial utilization of soybean oil could reach 12% of total consumption in the U.S. within five years.