With each passing day, the world is in a never-ending search for alternative means of energy that have the least impact on the health of our environment and atmosphere. Scientists have hit a few goldmines with the discoveries of solar, wind, and sound energy.
However, even with these discoveries, we still have more sustainable and renewable energy sources to drive global innovation, one of which is Soy. Now, imagine a sustainable and renewable future where the world runs on soy innovation. It seems pretty radical, but with the level of Soy adoption, we can say the future looks bright.
This article will briefly discuss some of the major applications of soy-based innovations that drive sustainable global development.
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Applications of Soy-Based Innovation
Over the past decade, innovative soy products have grown exponentially.
They are now used in various industries to facilitate advancement in technology. The following are some of the most notable applications facilitated by soy-based innovation:
1. Biotechnology
Soybeans are one of the world’s most essential crops and comprise most of the components of feed concentrates. These soy-based concentrates are later fed to livestock, providing us with meat, milk, egg, chicken, and much more.
According to statistics, 81% of the Soybeans produced globally are biotech facilitated, which allows farmers to produce soybeans more efficiently and profitably. Biotechnology has been widely adopted by many corn, soybeans, and cotton-producing countries because it enables farmers to produce maximum yield while minimizing costs.
The earlier adoption of biotechnology provided farmers with a greater number of beans per pod, soybeans with fatty acids, and minimal herbicide tolerance.
However, the next generation of soybeans that will be produced in the coming years will include nematode tolerance, fungal resistance, higher yield, and an increase in the nutritional value of oils.
2. Aquaculture
With each passing year, the global demand for Seafood increases exponentially. According to Statista, the revenue received from Seafood amounts to about $611.80 billion, and the market is projecting an annual growth of about 6.3%.
As of writing this article, Soybean is the number one source of protein used in aquaculture. With the growth expected from the aquaculture industry, Soybean farmers have looked to the industry as a potential gold mine.
Soy-based fish feeds will provide farmers with a sustainable and affordable feed source. However, it’ll be a while before we see a complete takeover of Soybeans in the fish feed market due to the limiting amino acids and insufficient heat treatment of the soybean meal.
3. Biofuel
Scientists view biofuel as a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to Petroleum diesel. According to Statistics, the Biodiesel industry contributed about $12 billion to the U.S. economy while creating about 60,000 jobs nationwide.
U.S. soybean farmers have helped establish the biodiesel industry and made it a competitive economic addition. The application of Soybeans also accounts for about 13% of farmers who venture into soybean production.
An increase in the adoption of Soybean oil to make Biodiesel leads to an increase in the supply of soybean meal that can be used to produce animal feed. In turn, the increase in supply leads to lower feed prices for livestock and poultry farmers.
4. Rubber Manufacturing
The adoption of Soy in rubber manufacturing dates back to the early 90s. In 1941, Henry Ford unveiled a plastic-bodied car whose panels consisted of soybeans. The feat made headlines and was widely recognized; however, the idea never took off commercially.
This didn’t stop researchers from toying with the idea of soy-based rubber. Today, tire manufacturers apply Soybean to increase their tires’ tensile strength and wear and tear resistance.
The adoption of Soy in rubber manufacturing is also facilitated by the rising cost of petroleum and its ties with environmental pollution. It’s not often considered, but tires are a significant pollutant due to their heavy reliance on petroleum-derived materials.
Luckily, with the adoption of soy-based tires, we’ll see a significant decline in pollution in our environment.
5. Artificial Grass
The Artificial turf market is witnessing a growth in demand, with experts predicting a net industry worth of about $7 billion by 2025. Due to this growth, we’re seeing the adoption of Soy in the manufacture of artificial turfs. These turfs are becoming increasingly popular in popular locations like the San Diego Zoo, Las Vegas Strip, Central Park, and Denver Airport.
Artificial grass is usually manufactured using a large proportion of petroleum-based products. However, due to the adoption of Soy, over 60% of the petroleum-based products used in making turfs have been replaced by soy-based products.
6. Beauty Products
Another application of Soy is in the production of cosmetics products. Soy contains specific oils and nutrients that can help retain and boost collagen production, which makes it an excellent ingredient for skincare products.
The application of Soy to skin care as it provides tons of benefits like increasing skin moisture, reducing damage caused by the sun, and to some extent, controlling aging. Creams and lotions containing Soy are typically great for all skin types.
Conclusion
The adoption of Soy is growing exponentially; industries worldwide are employing the help of Soy due to its sustainability and extremely low environmental impact. Industry experts have made several optimistic projections for Soy-based innovations.
Indeed, the future looks bright thanks to soil-based innovation. If you’ve not jumped on the Soy trend, now is the time to cash in.