INTERIM EVALUATION OF THE SOYBEAN UTILIZATION RESEARCH PROJECT (936-4132) PREPARED FOR: S&T/AGR/AP Washington, D.C. PREPARED BY: Cornelius Hugo, Agricultural Economist and Louis A. Wollermann, Food Scientist Consultant FOOD AND FEED GRAINS INSTITurE Kansas State University Manhattan, Kansas September 1989 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section ACRONYMS i DEFINITIONS ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 3 A. Summary Scope of Work 3 B. Methodology 3 C. Project Description 3 1. Objectives 3 2. Scope 4 3. Adjustments to Program Objectives 4 D. Project Funding 5 II. PROJECT EVALUATION 7 A. Accomplishments 7 1. Processing and Utilization Research 7 2. Collaborative Utilization Research 9 3. Information 12 4. Training/Technical Assistance 13 B. Impact of Project 14 1. U.S. Agriculture and Agribusiness 15 2. LDCs 15 C. Project Management 17 1. Management Structure 17 2. Staffing Level 17 3. Source of Funding 17 D. Relationship to S&T Office of Agriculture Mandate 19 E. Cost Effectiveness of Project 20 1. Measuring Cost/Benefit Relationships 20 2. Improving Cost Effectiveness 21 F. Constraints to Carrying out Program 22 1. Change in Project Orientation 22 2. Staff Changes 23 3. Changes in Laboratory Location 23 4. Lack of Equipment 23 5. Budget Cuts 23 6. Graduate Research Assistants 23 Section Page 7. Definitive Implementation Plan 23 G. Work in Progress and Future Plans 24 1. Processing and Utilization Research 24 2. Collaborative Utilization Research 24 3. Information 24 4. Training/Technical Assistance 25 H. National Soybean Research Center 25 III. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 26 A. Conclusions 26 B. Recommendations 27 1. General Recommendations 27 2. Specific Recommendations 28 APPENDICES 1. Statement of Work for Evaluation Team 2. Evaluation Schedule and Persons Contacted 3. References Consulted 4. Revised Statement of Work for Cooperative Agreement 5. Cooperative Agreement No. DAN-4132-A-O0-5177-O0 6. Information Request by Country, Institution, Equipment, and Product 7. Public Information Produced and Outlets 8. Visitors to INTSOY Program 1/1988 - 8/1989 9. INTSOY Short Courses and 1988 Training Schedule 10. Current and Potential Future Projects in Africa and Asia 11. Description of Grove Country Foods 12. Potential Role of Soybeans in Meeting Nutritional Needs in Africa 13. INTSOY's Organizational Chart and Staffing 14. INTSOY Financial Information 15. S&T Agricultural Program Guidance Paper 16. Budget Allocations - Soybean Processing and Utilization 17. Rescarch Project Plans 18. Extrusion Cooking and Oil Expelling 19. Soymilk and Dairy Analogs 20. Income Multiplier Model TABLES Number Title Page I-I Initial Financial Plan and Obligations 6 FIGURES Number Title II-1 Source of Funding for INTSOY Program 18 ACRONYMS AVRDC Asian Vegetable Research Development Center FAO Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations IAR&T Institute for Agricultural Research & Training IITA International Institute of Tropical Agriculture INTSOY International Soybean Program KSU Kansas State University LDC Less Developed Country MSU Mississippi State University OICD Office for International Development and Cooperation S&T/AGR Bureau for Science and Technology/Office of Agriculture UIUC University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign USAID United States Agency for International Development USDA United States Department of Agriculture DEFINITIONS The following concepts and definitions are provided to assist those readers not versed in the subject matter of soybean processing and utilization nor familiar with the technical "jargon" used in this area. Soybean: Soybean is the seed of a leguminous plant of the glycine species, native to Eastern China, but now cultivated virtually around the world. The seed is unique in that it has a substantial oil as well as a substantial high quality protein content (18 to 20% oil and 35 to 40% protein). Dry Processing: 1. Extrusion Processing: Extrusion processing can be considered as a continuous cooking system in which raw food materials (such as soybeans) are subject to varying degrees of temperature, pressure, and shear. The extruder produces heat by friction under pressure. A screw transports :he ingredients through a series of restrictions within a cylindrical chamber, finally forcing the material through a die. The process results in value added "extruded" food or feed products which are suitable for a range of end uses. There are several advantages to this process that are particularly relevant to its application in low-cost food and feed products (see Appendix 18). Cooking: Dry extrusion achieves cooking by moist heat at low moisture content (less than 30% initial moisture), at high temperatures (up to 275 degrees Fahrenheit), and in a short period of time (less than 30 seconds). Adequate gelatinization of starch is achieved in a fraction of the time required in conventional cooking. Drying: The extruder subjects the raw food or feed material to high temperature and pressure within the barrel. Upon exit, the super-heated moisture flashes into vapor and escapes from the product, resulting in considerable drying of the product. Hence, little or no further drying is required and the product is shelf stable. Sterilization: The high temperature, short-time cooking given to the initial raw material is highly effective in reducing the natural microbial load on the raw material. This, coupled with initial low moisture content, renders the extruded product microbiologically stable. Improved Nutritional Value: Extrusion also results in the reduction of the anti-nutrients (trypsin inhibitors) of soybeans to reasonably low levels. This improves the nutritional value of ii the processed products. In addition, the denaturation of the proteins is less than that experienced through conventional technology. This again is positive in terms of nutritional qualities. Expansion: The sudden transfer of the product from a zone of high pressure and high temperature to atmospheric conditions (low pressure and high temperature) results in considerable expansion in the soy/cereal blends (examples: soy/corn, soy/beans, soy/rice). This imparts low density and open structure to the product, which is an important functional characteristic for snack-type products. 2. Extrusion/Expelling: In 1985 INTSOY researchers found that when whole soybean at low moisture content was directly extruded under appropriate conditions, the extrudate emerged in a semi-fluid state. The extrusion process disrupts the bean tissue, liberating the oil into the matrix and simultaneously cooking the mass. The liberation of oil into a free state and a drop in oil viscosity due to the high temperature produce the semi-fluid state of the extrudate. This extrudate is feed directly into an oil expeller. An expeller is essentially a continuous mechanical press which separates the oil form the soybean meal, resulting in (1) a partially defatted meal which can be used in human as well as animal feed products, and (2) a highly stable (natural antioxidants) and edible oil (free of any off-flavors) requiring little further processing. 3. Significance: The significance of this combined process for both developed and developing marketing economies include the following: - This technology represents a relatively low-cost operation for the utilization of soybeans as a food raw material. - This process has achieved an oil recovery rate of 75% and higher oil yields are expected from more efficient commercial expellers. This will enable an increase in availability of edible oil in situations where it is in short supply. - The extrusion process resulted in a drastic increase in the throughput of the expellers. This would necessarily improve the economics of the expelling process and, at least in part, justify the investment in extrusion. A further advantage is the improvement in milling characteristics of the expeller cake, with the lowfat (5%) cake being easily ground in conventional milling systems such as hammer mills. iii - Low-fat soy flour can be prepared as a highly nutritious value­ added product for human consumption. - This concept should stimulate the fortification of cereal flours with soy flour on a decentralized basis. This may become the basis for an ancillary industry. - Where desirable, the process can be made labor intensive, and thereby, provide employment. - Under extensive soybean farming conditions, such as in the United States, the process may be adopted as an on-farm operation for production of crude oils for dust control and meal for animal feed formulation. - This development should increase the overall demand for soybeans as well as for processing equipment. - A new dimension is added to foster utilization of soybeans for improving the nutritional status of many countries. Wet Processing: 1. Process Wet processing of raw soybeans results in an intermediate high solids and protein soymilk base that can be used for preparation of various types of soymilk and dairy analogs. INTSOY research in this area has resulted in the development of a (1) home and village processing method and (2) a new commercial method. Both processes use relatively straightforward technology that can be applied 4n a modest village operation or at a relatively high commercial level (see Appendix 19). While the commercial method is somewhat more elaborated than the home and village processing method and includes some additional steps they both apply the same concepts which include: (1) clean raw soybeans, (2) dry, split, and remove the cotyledons (commercial method only), (3) blanch, (4) grind, (5) filter soymilk form ground slurry, (6) simmer and flavoring (home and village method only), (7) pasteurize and homogenize the soymilk (commercial method only). 2. Significance These processes result in a high-quality soybean milk base that is free of cholesterol and lactose and with a protein content equal to cow's milk. Because it is inexpensive it does offer and alternative to millions of people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America who are unable to drink cow's milk due to their allergic reaction to lactose. iv The soy milk is suitable for making yoghurt, ice cream, and other dairy analogs such as tofu and tempeh (typical oriental cheese­ like dairy analogs).