On Nov. 12, 2003, Iowa State University announced new soybean varieties, that don’t need to be hydrogenated, that hold promise for food manufacturers scrambling to remove unhealthy trans fats from their products.

The new soybean was developed through conventional breeding practices by soybean breeder Walter Fehr, a Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture, and Earl Hammond, emeritus University Professor of food science and human nutrition. The Iowa State University Research Foundation holds the patent for the one percent linolenic acid soybean.

This year, the one percent linolenic soybeans were planted and harvested in Michigan by Zeeland Farm Services, Zeeland, Mich. In early November, 210,000 pounds of crude oil were extracted from the harvested soybeans. Loders Croklaan, a producer of specialty and nutritional oils and fats in Joliet, Ill., will refine about 70,000 pounds of the oil for distribution to oil suppliers and food companies that have purchased it for testing. The remaining crude oil will be kept in Michigan until more refined oil is needed.