From salad dressings and sauces to the oil for your fried favorites, a better-than-ever soybean is making a big splash thanks to gene editing.

It’s an evolution of plant breeding that shows tremendous promise in helping farmers preserve our planet and improve our food.

Through gene editing, we now have a high-oleic, heart healthy oil made from soybeans – the first commercially available gene-edited food product. With zero trans fats, this odorless, colorless, neutral-flavored oil also has a longer shelf life and performs well under high heat conditions like baking and frying making it ideal for cooks in kitchens around the world.

Farmers have begun growing high-protein gene-edited soybeans, too, helping to meet the growing demand for plant-based foods and improving feed for animals and fish.

Growing soybeans in a more sustainable way – growing enough food using less land and water has farmers across the U.S. excited about gene editing.

Whether it’s growing healthy, abundant crops, caring for the environment or enhancing our favorite foods gene-edited soybeans are making waves and it’s just the beginning of great things to come.

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Soy is one of the eight most common food allergens. Soy oil is frequently used in food preparation and those with allergies need to know if it is okay to eat foods cooked in soy oil and what foods you should avoid if you’re allergic to soy.

We asked Dr. Melanie Downs, an assistant professor with the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, to help us understand some of the science about food what causes food allergies and what foods to avoid to be safe.

The good news: “There is no need for soy-allergic individuals to avoid soy oil. Soy-allergic individuals may wish to avoid cold-pressed or expeller-pressed soy oil but this type of oil is rarely used as an ingredient in processed foods,” Dr. Downs said.

She explained that oil is usually safe because the part of the food that triggers an allergy is in the protein portion of the soybean.

“The food components responsible for soy allergies, like nearly all food allergies, are the naturally occurring proteins in the food. Foods can have a number of different allergenic proteins, and allergic individuals may react to one or more of these allergens,” Dr. Downs said.

Soy oil is safe because it has been processed.

“Soy oil used for cooking and frying has almost always been highly-refined, and these oils contain extremely small amounts of protein,” she said.

She added that studies of people who are soy-allergic have found that highly-refined soy oil is safe for allergic individuals. This is why highly-refined oils are exempt from allergen labeling in the U.S. under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004.

However, if you have a soy allergy, it’s important to carefully read labels.

“Allergic individuals should avoid products with other types of soy-derived ingredients declared on the label. It is also important to note that FALCPA allows manufacturers to declare allergens in one of two ways on the product label, in the ingredient statement or in a “Contains” statement. If a product has a Contains Soy statement, allergic consumers likely want to avoid that product because the ingredient statement itself may not identify all soy-derived ingredients in plain language,” Dr. Downs said.

If you think you have a food allergy or know you do, Dr. Downs said it’s important to talk to a health care provider and follow their advice.

“Some consumers with histories of serious allergic reactions do not seek advice from an allergist and do not carry the life-saving drug, epinephrine. They should do both. Soy is less frequently involved in severe reactions but in those small number of cases, getting expert advice and carrying epinephrine are important steps.”

For those with a soy allergy, it is usually safe to eat foods that have been prepared in soy oil. Most commercial soy oil is highly refined and the allergy triggering compounds in the protein have been removed.

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Dr. Steve Taylor is the founder of the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program at the University of Nebraska and has provided his expertise to answer these questions.

If you believe you have an allergy, Dr. Taylor said it is very important to visit your doctor or an allergist because it could be a serious health issue. Palm oil is not considered to be a likely cause of allergic reaction.

“In my opinion, palm oil would be rather unlikely to be the cause of a food allergy,” he said, then explained why. “Food allergies are caused by proteins, and oils typically contain very low levels of protein. The likelihood of allergic sensitization to these proteins seems very low to non-existent, in my opinion.”

“If consumers believe they are adversely affected by ingestion of palm oil, then they can avoid eating it,” Dr. Taylor advised.

That will not be easy. Palm oil is one of the most commonly used vegetable oils in the world. The World Wildlife Fund offers an interactive chart that shows products that contain palm oil and why. It is used in foods such as bread, instant noodles, cookies and chocolate, as well as other products including lipstick and detergent. Even though the oil is common, that is the only part of the palm plant that is consumed.

“We don’t typically eat other foods derived from palm species, so sensitization by that route also seems unlikely. Coconut is a product of palm trees but coconut oil and palm oil are derived from different species of palm,” Dr. Taylor said.

In another Best Food Facts post Palm Oil, Refined Oil and Allergies Dr. Taylor provided insight into how refined oils are processed and why they are unlikely to cause a reaction, “The allergens in soybean are found in the protein fraction of the soybean seed. The proteins are removed during the refining process. That is why highly refined soybean oil is safe. Palm and palm kernel oil should contain no soy protein. Palm and palm kernel oils should also not contain any soy oil. Thus these oils should present no risk to soy-allergic consumers,” he said.

One of our readers asked whether there have been scientific studies on palm oil allergies.

“No, palm oil allergy has not been described in clinical literature. That said, coconut allergy is described in clinical literature, but it’s not common, and it is the only allergy to a food from the palm family. Coconut oil is not known to be allergenic, even in those with coconut allergy, because of its very low protein content,” he said.

Dr. Taylor suggested that because palm oil is not eaten alone, but rather as an ingredient, there might be allergic reactions to another ingredient in the food.

Some food companies and retailers have recently made the decision to produce or sell products that are free of palm oil. This move was prompted by concerns about the sustainability of palm oil production, not because of allergy risks.

Palm oil is a common ingredient used in many foods. Palm oil is generally not considered a cause of allergic reactions. If you are experiencing problems you think are associated with palm oil or allergies, please visit your physician or allergist.

Originally published July 7, 2013

_{“Flowering Palm, Torquay” by Torquay Palms is licensed under CC BY SA.}

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So, how do different oils factor into a healthy diet? It all comes down to the types of fat found in different kinds of oil. We asked our own registered dietitian Sarah Downs to give us an overview on the different types of fats and their impacts on health.

Sarah Downs: “Fat is essential to health and helps to support many bodily functions. Fat helps to absorb certain important nutrients, builds nerve tissue and hormones, serves as an energy source and can add to the satisfaction and pleasure of eating. Oils are made up of fatty acids, which have specific components that affect how they perform in cooking and affect health. The most common of these fatty acids are unsaturated fats, saturated fats and trans fats.

• Unsaturated Fats – These are liquid at room temperature and come in two main forms, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. These fats may help reduce heart disease and lower cholesterol levels.
• Saturated Fats – These fats are typically solid at room temperature. Many studies have linked diets high in saturated fat with elevated cholesterol levels and increased risk for heart disease, so it’s best to consume these in moderation.
• Trans Fats – Some occur naturally, but most are manufactured through hydrogenation, which helps increase shelf life. Trans fats can raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol, a combination that increases the risk of heart disease. Experts suggest consuming trans fats in limited quantities.

Keep in mind all fats have 9 calories per gram, so even the healthier choices can contribute a significant amount of calories to the diet if consumed in excess.”

What oils would you suggest?

Sarah Downs: “Often times it comes down to what you are cooking/baking and taste preference. My favorites are olive oil and canola oil. Canola oil has a neutral flavor and medium-high smoke point, which makes it extremely versatile. Olive oil is a source of not only monounsaturated fats but antioxidants called polyphenols, making it a great choice for heart health.”

Need a visual? This infographic highlights the six most commonly consumed oils, the types of fat they contain and common uses.

_{“Chile Olive Oil” by catalina woken is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.}

The post All About Oils: The Slick of It appeared first on Best Food Facts.

What can you tell us about the study overall?

Connie Diekman:

This animal study looked at high fat diets – 40 percent of calories – and found that certain types of fat appeared to contribute more to obesity. The study was attempting to determine how fats impact the genetic aspects of weight gain, but the results had some limitations. First, it was an animal study, not a human study, and human genomics are different from animal genomics. Second, the use of soybean and coconut oils combined makes it a bit difficult to determine how or which fat is impacting genetic changes. This is early research, and we need to learn more about how genomics impacts obesity, but choosing a diet with a fewer percentage of calories from fat is supported by other research. It’s an interesting study, but is very preliminary in terms of it changing or impacting human health guidelines.

Sarah Downs:

Researchers looked at the impact different types of dietary fats have on obesity-related health problems, including the influence on gene expression. The two types of fats studied were saturated fat (coconut oil) and polyunsaturated fat (soybean oil). They also observed the impact fructose (a type of sugar) has in comparison to the fats. The results showed that the mice on the soybean oil-enriched diet gained almost 25 percent more weight than the mice on the coconut oil diet and nine percent more weight than those on the fructose-enriched diet. However, because the study was conducted on mice, the implications on humans aren’t readily known at this point. Another limitation (that the researchers noted) is that additional studies will need to be done to find out the impacts of these types of diets on heart disease. Ultimately, while the results are interesting and should not be ignored or disregarded, additional research with similar results and human participants will need to be done to come to any meaningful conclusions.

You mentioned the study used both soybean and coconut oils. What are the differences between these two oils?

Connie Diekman:

Soybean and coconut oil are composed of different fatty acids, and this was the hope of the research – that the outcome would point to the fatty acids that seem to impact regulation of obesity more than others. Because the study looked at oils in combination – varying percentage of coconut combined with soybean – it’s difficult to say that one fatty acid impacts obesity. Soybean oil is an unsaturated fat and coconut oil is saturated. This difference impacts the fatty acids in each of them.

Do you think the study findings will have an impact on future recommendations for dietary guidelines?

Connie Diekman:

Since this is an animal study and is early research, it will likely not impact dietary recommendations. The high fat percent of the diet certainly could be a factor in the appearance of fatty liver in the mice and might be an issue for humans, but more research is needed to determine this.

Sarah Downs:

While this study likely won’t impact future recommendations for dietary guidelines, it does somewhat support the new proposed dietary guidelines that will focus on the type and quality of fat rather than the quantity.

Should consumers avoid products that contain soybean oil or use tropical oils like coconut instead when possible?

Connie Diekman:

Current scientific evidence indicates the healthiest oils are canola and olive oils. Coconut oil, due to its high saturated fat level, is not necessarily the most healthful choice. Since many commercial products use soybean oil, consumers should consider using olive or canola at home to vary their fatty acid consumption.

Sarah Downs:

While this study showed coconut oil (plant-based saturated fat) did not cause as much of an increase in weight and metabolic syndrome symptoms, it doesn’t give coconut oil a free pass – it still needs to be consumed in moderation. The bottom-line is this: Moderation and variety are key components of a healthy diet, and a focus on total diet and regular exercise is essential for human health.

_{Soybean Oil, Meal and Beans” by United Soybean Board is licensed under CC BY 2.0}

The post Is Soy Oil Making Us Fat? appeared first on Best Food Facts.

At the Robert Mondavi Institute, we met up with Sue Langstaff. In short, Sue is an expert in interpreting everything that hits her taste buds! She’s also the owner ofApplied Sensory, LLC, a member of the UC Davis Olive Oil Taste Panel, and the California Olive Oil Council Taste Panel. Langstaff taught us about the science behind the sensory experience of tasting olive oil. She also cleared up a few slippery myths about this beloved oil.

Myth: The “fridge test” indicates the purity of extra virgin olive oilYou may have heard of the “fridge test” for olive oil, which consists of refrigerating the oil to determine whether it is pure. This test is not reliable for distinguishing purity or quality.

Myth: You should always look for ‘first cold pressed’ extra virgin olive oil
Most olive oil is not extracted by pressing but rather by using a mechanical process called centrifugation. A centrifuge extraction system, also called a horizontal decanter, uses the centrifugal force of rotation to separate the oil from the olive paste (including flesh, skin, and pits) and water.

Myth: ‘Second pressed’ refined olive oil is even better than ‘first cold pressed’
Much like the myth of ‘first cold pressed’ extra virgin olive oil, there is not a second press in mechanical production of olive oil. Refined olive oil goes through a completely different chemical process from extra virgin olive oil.

Myth: Light olive oil has less fat and calories
This myth is too good to be true. The “lightness” does not refer to fat and calories, but rather the flavor, taste and color of the oil due to a refining process that extra virgin olive oils do NOT undergo.

Myth: Cloudy olive oil is healthier
Cloudiness in olive oil is caused by particles of olives that stick around in the oil after processing. The cloudiness does not equate to added nutrition. Something to keep in mind: Cloudy oils usually have a shorter shelf life than their more transparent counterparts.

Myth: Color is an indicator of quality
The color of the oil is not an indicator of quality. Rather, color indicates things about the oil like the variety and ripeness of the olives as well as the climate in which the olives were grown.

Myth: You can’t refrigerate extra virgin olive oil
Spoiler alert! You can refrigerate extra virgin olive oil. But, you should keep in mind that frequent thawing can reduce the shelf life of the oil. It’s recommended that olive oil be stored in a dark bottle, in a cool and dark place. Stored properly and unopened, olive oil has a one-and-a-half- to two-year shelf life. Once opened, it should be used within 6 months.

Myth: Olive oil has a low smoke point
You may have heard that olive oil shouldn’t be heated or used for frying because of its low smoke point – the temperature at which oil starts to smoke. This myth is misleading. The smoke point of olive oil depends on the quality and freshness of the oil. Higher quality and fresher oils will have higher smoke points, around 400°F.

Myth: Heating olive oil makes trans fats
Heating olive oil in your home kitchen cannot make trans fats. Trans fats occur during hydrogenation – an industrial process where any oil can be turned into a solid fat with extreme high heat and pressure.

Myth: Cooking olive oil makes free radicals
Free radicals are formed when something gets heated and goes under stress, for example, our body makes free radicals when we exercise. The good-for-us antioxidants that are naturally present in high quality extra virgin olive oil combat free radical (potential carcinogens) generations during cooking and in our body, after consumption.

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