Feed ingredients - soybeans and their processing by-products
August 17 13:22:31, 2025
Soybean is a dicotyledonous leguminous plant, commonly cultivated for its seeds. Originating in China, it has become one of the most important crops globally. The United States is currently the largest producer of soybeans, followed closely by China. Soybeans come in various colors and types, with yellow soybeans being the most common variety.
Despite their rich nutrient content, raw soybeans contain several anti-nutritional factors that make them unsuitable for direct animal consumption. These harmful compounds must be neutralized through proper processing to ensure they can be safely used as feed. This has led to the development of various high-value soy-based by-products, which are widely used in the feed industry to improve animal nutrition and performance.
Some of the key processed products derived from soybeans include:
1. **Soy Protein Isolate**: Made from low-temperature soybean meal, this product is created by extracting proteins using an alkali-soluble acid precipitation method. It has a protein content of at least 90% on a dry basis.
2. **Soy Phospholipid Oil**: A phospholipid-rich oil obtained during the degumming process of crude soybean oil through vacuum dehydration.
3. **Soy Protein Hydrolyzed Protein**: Produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of soybean or processed soy products like soybean meal or soy protein concentrate.
4. **Soy Protein Concentrate**: A product made by removing non-protein components from low-temperature soybean meal, with a protein content of at least 65%.
5. **Soybean Germ (Soybean Germ Powder)**: A product made from deoiled soybean germ, often used as a nutritional supplement.
6. **Soybean Germ Oil**: Extracted from soybean germ through pressing or extraction. Must be produced by qualified food manufacturers.
7. **Soybean Skin**: The outer seed coat removed during the peeling process of soybeans.
8. **Soybean Sieve Residue**: A mixture of broken seeds, seed coats, and shells collected during the cleaning process.
9. **Soy Molasses**: A viscous material rich in sugars and crude protein, obtained during the production of alcoholic soy protein concentrate.
10. **Soy Fiber**: A fibrous substance extracted from soybeans, often used in feed formulations.
11. **Soybean Oil**: An oil obtained through pressing or solvent extraction of soybeans. Must be produced by certified food manufacturers.
12. **Bean Cake**: A by-product of soybean oil extraction, commonly used as animal feed.
13. **Cardamom**: A by-product from the pre-pressing or solvent extraction of soybean oil, or from oil extraction of soybean cake.
14. **Bean Dregs**: A residue left after soaking, milling, or protein extraction from soybeans.
15. **Baked Soybeans (Powder)**: Baked and ground soybeans, often used in ruminant feed due to their rumen-protected properties.
16. **Puffed Soybean Meal**: A product made by puffing whole fat soybeans after cleaning and grinding.
17. **Puffed Soy Protein (Soybean Tissue Protein)**: Created by puffing soy protein isolate or concentrate under controlled temperature and pressure conditions.
18. **Expanded Soybean Meal**: A product formed by expanding soybean meal or extracting the embryo during the expansion process.
These diverse soybean by-products play a crucial role in enhancing feed efficiency and supporting sustainable livestock production worldwide.