Why would the soybean industry want to reduce the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in soybean oil?
It’s important to note that liquid soybean oil that has not been hydrogenated does not contain trans fatty acids (trans fats) and has a very favorable nutritional profile and includes omega-3 fatty acids. It’s high in poly- and monounsaturated fats and relatively low in saturated fat. Companies that use liquid soybean oil in products like salad oil, salad dressings, mayonnaise, pizza dough and other products are very pleased with the oil just as it is, and will continue to use soybean oil without modifications. When oil is partially hydrogenated, a principal objective is to reduce the concentration of the components that are subject to rapid oxidation. Since linolenic acid oxidizes very rapidly, processing is designed to reduce linolenic to a trace level (less than three percent). When the new soybean oils containing reduced levels of linolenic acid are used in place of partially hydrogenated soybean oil, the net result will be an increase in omega-3s rather than a reduction in all pro
