ARS | Publication request: Innovative Non-Food Uses of Soybean Oil

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings/Symposium
Publication Acceptance Date: June 6, 2002
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: United States agriculture produces over 20 billion pounds of soybean oil annually. Only 590 million pounds of soybean oil are used in industrial applications. Non-food uses of soybean oil and other vegetable oils have grown very little during the past 40 years. Although some markets have expanded or new ones added, other markets have been lost to competitive petroleum products. Development of new industrial products or commercial processes are objectives of continued research in both public and private sectors. Through these efforts vegetable oils should maintain or even add to their market share as non-renewable petroleum becomes more expensive.