Best Food Facts TASTE Tour influencers were challenged to discover where the foods came from and how the processing happened. Touring farms, soy processing facility, influencers witnessed sprawling fields of produce, met the farmers, and watched soybeans be processed to make different products.

ICYMI, soy is a plant-based source of protein that is in many favorite dishes. But grocery shoppers still have questions about soy. Does it contain estrogen? Has soy been linked to breast cancer? These are just a few of the many questions the 2019 TASTE Tour aimed to answer. With the help of experts — including Julie Garden-Robinson from the BFF expert network — bloggers went home with not only a refreshed outlook on soy and soy foods but also an inspired approach on how to incorporate more soy into their daily lives. Want to know more about the experience? Check out this video:

#BestFoodFacts

Spending three days in Ocean City, Maryland, bloggers followed soybeans from the farm to the processing plant and beyond to the dinner table. They had the opportunity to taste, hold, interact and eat soybeans. Bloggers learned about the growing and harvesting process, saw where the soybeans arrived at the processing facility to be processed, refined and turned into oil. They also enjoyed gourmet meals that featured soybean products.

Scroll on to hear more from the influencers themselves about their #BestFoodFacts TASTE Tour experience:

• I had such a great time in Maryland learning about soybeans. It was not something I really knew about before this trip. Now I’m excited to incorporate more soy products into our diets. It is such a great source of protein, which should definitely help me fill up my growing teenage boy!– Erin Sellin, Dinners, Dishes & Desserts 
• I’m not proud to admit that I truly knew very little about soybeans, what products are derived from soy, and the health benefits before my trip. My mind was BLOWN and I’ll never look at a little soybean plant the same way again. Soy is such an under-appreciated source of vitamins and minerals, and has zero cholesterol. It’s truly heart healthy, and is so much more than just soy sauce. – Becky Hardin, The Cookie Rookie
• I love cooking with soy. I grew up eating foods like tofu, Asian-style soy milk, tofu skins, edamame, and miso. They are my comfort food. Although I’ve eaten soy practically my entire life, I had little knowledge about how they’re grown and processed. That’s why I was incredibly excited when Best Food Facts invited me to their 2019 TASTE tour in Ocean City, Maryland, to learn more about soybean farming and production. – Lisa Lin, Healthy Nibbles
• On my two-day soybean tour, I learned a TON. My head is still processing all the things that I learned about soy farming and the technology that is used to make it such a sustainable and healthy food source. – Lisa Longly, Wine and Glue
• Up until this point, I hadn’t ever really given soy much thought. However, it’s been another food source I have taken for granted until now. – Lynne Feifer, 365 Days of Baking & More
• One of my favorite parts of the trip was learning about the many health benefits of soybeans. They’re naturally cholesterol-free and high in protein and fiber. They’re also rich in B vitamins, phosphorus, and iron. The nutritionist we met with was able to put to rest some of the myths and concerns surrounding soy, and I can absolutely say I’m excited to introduce more soy into my cooking! – Cathy Trochelman, Lemon Tree Dwelling
• I grew up eating soy as a child and as an adult, I do have a lot of soy in my diet. From soy milk to tofu and soy sauce, it’s in my regular cooking. I had an awesome opportunity to work with Best Food Facts. – Julie Tran Deily, The Little Kitchen
• Before my trip to Maryland, I did not know very much about soy and the many health benefits that it provides. I am excited to incorporate more soyfoods into our family meals and snacks. – Jocelyn Brubaker, Inside BruCrew Life
• Soy is good for you! It is a delicious, wholesome plant, that has gotten a bad rap, but that has been consumed for centuries by some of the world’s healthiest populations and has a lot to offer nutritionally. – Rachael Yerkes, Eazy Peazy Mealz

Looking for more content about the tours? Check out these posts:

Lynne Feifer, 365 Days of Baking & More

• Soy – One Little Bean Can Do So Much
• Dairy-Free Pumpkin Muffins
• TASTE Tour 2019: 365 Days of Baking & More – Lynne

 Becky Hardin, The Cookie Rookie

• Edamame Recipe with Everything Bagel Seasoning (Everything Edamame)

 Rachael Yerkes, Eazy Peazy Mealz

• Miso Salmon
• Kale, Edamame, Quinoa Super Salad
• TASTE Tour 2019: Eazy Peazy Mealz – Rachael

 Lisa Longley, Wine and Glue

• Edamame Hummus
• Vegetarian Chili Recipe
• TASTE Tour 2019: Wine & Glue – Lisa

Julie Tran Deily, The Little Kitchen

• Vegetarian Dumplings

Lisa Lin, Healthy Nibbles

• Spicy Roasted Edamame

 Jocelyn Brubaker, Inside BruCrew Life

• Fun Facts About Soybeans
• Sugar Free Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

 Erin Sellin, Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts

• The Truth About Soybeans
• Parmesan Garlic Roasted Edamame

Cathy Trochelman, Lemon Tree Dwelling

• Pad Thai
• Soy Glazed Shishito Peppers

The 2019 Best Food Facts TASTE Tour was sponsored by BestFoodFacts.org and United Soybean Board.

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Orchard Excursion
Our trip started with a venture to K&J Orchards where we experienced taste-testing privileges as well as a tour given by orchard manager and daughter of the orchard founders, Aomboon Deasy. Here’s what we learned:

• There are benefits to both organic and conventional methods of growing food and this orchard uses both.
• Pesticides are used in both organic and conventional methods. Organic production can use only pesticides that are naturally-occurring, whereas conventional can use pesticides that are synthetic.
• There aren’t nutritional differences between organic and conventional foods, so both are great options.
• The health benefits of consuming all fruits and vegetables – no matter how they are grown/produced – far outweigh any risks of pesticide exposure.

Dinner with Dr. Denneal Jamison-McClung
We closed the first night of our California adventure with amazing eats and discussion with Denneal Jamison-McClung, PhD, Associate Director of the Biotechnology Program and faculty member at UC Davis. Here’s what we learned:

• There is extensive research in the area of biotechnology and genetic modification (GM) under way at University of California-Davis and other universities around the world – and has been for decades!
• GM foods are safe. The FDA works with companies developing biotech crops through a consultation process that begins in the early stages of crop improvement and proceeds through final approval (10-15 years).
• GM technology can prevent unintended consequences that can occur with other types of plant breeding.
• There are only eight GM crops: alfalfa, canola, corn, cotton, papaya*, soybeans, squash, and sugar beets (these crops also have non-GM varieties, except for Hawaiian papaya)

Napa Adventure
Day two kicked off with a trip to Napa, CA to learn about wine making at Black Stallion Winery. Here’s what we learned:

• Yeast is a tool (also a fungus!) that vintners use to transform grapes into wine. Yeast starts the fermentation process – breaking down sugars in the grapes into ethanol and carbon dioxide.
• The white matter you see on grapes growing in orchards is actually a naturally occurring yeast.

• Yeast can impact flavor and it’s easily manipulated, so vintners use it to create exactly the type of wine they want to make.
• No wine is sulfite-free. Sulfites are naturally-occuring in grapes and are an antibacterial and antioxidant.

Lunch with Mitch Harkenrider
We had lunch with Mitch Harkenrider, senior doctoral student and researcher in the Plant Biology Graduate Group at UC Davis. Here’s what we learned:

• Harkenrider loves gardening and has a passion for efficiency in crop production, which led him to focus his career on plant biotechnology.
• He studies under world-renowned Dr. Pamela Ronald. Dr. Pamela and her husband Raoul are a dynamic duo, with Dr. Pamela focusing her research on GM plants and her husband focusing on organic production. They co-authored Tomorrow’s Table and live in harmony, realizing we need every tool in the toolbox to meet the food needs of our diverse and growing world.

Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Sciences
Located on the UC Davis campus, the Robert Mondavi Institute houses the departments of Viticulture and Enology, and Food Science and Technology. In addition to touring the Institute’s LEED Platinum-certified building, we learned about the food science behind olive oil and honey processing, brewing and winemaking. We met:

• Amina Harris, Executive Director of the Honey and Pollination Center at the Robert Mondavi Institute of Wine and Food Science at UC Davis
• Sue Langstaff, owner of Applied Sensory, LLC and member of the UC Davis Olive Oil Taste Panel and the UC Cooperative Extension Sonoma County Olive Oil Taste Panel
• Roger Boulton, PhD, professor and Stephen Sinclair Scott Endowed Chair in Enology in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis.

Here’s what we learned:

• There is a science to the sensory experience associated with the tastes of both honey and olive oil.
• There is no organic honey produced in the continental United States.
• The fridge test for olive oil is not a reliable test for purity or quality.
• The Robert Mondavi Institute facilities are water- and energy-positive.
• The Institute has a private collection of wine with some bottles being worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Dinner with Drs. Elizabeth A. Maga and James D. Murray
We joined Elizabeth A. Maga, PhD, adjunct professor in the Department of Animal Science at UC Davis, and James D. Murray, PhD, professor of Animal Science and Department of Population Health and Reproduction at UC Davis, to talk about their recent research on goat’s milk. Here’s what we learned:

• Maga and Murray bred transgenic (GM) goats to produce milk that can protect children in developing countries from diarrhea – a common cause of death.
• The milk contains enzymes that strengthen the stomach and fight off harmful bacteria, therefore, making or keeping children healthy.

The Amazing Tomato Trek
Our last adventure included following a tomato on its journey from the farm to your table. The trek started with a tour of the Rominger Brothers Farm followed by a tour of a Campbell Soup Company processing facility. Along the way, we met Rick Rominger, a fifth-generation farmer and owner of Rominger Brothers Farms; Daniel Sonke, PhD, manager of sustainable agriculture programs at Campbell Soup Company; David Kiehn, Campbell Soup Company processing facility manager; and more.

Here’s what we learned:

• The kinds of tomatoes grown for tomato paste and sauce are very different than the ones you buy fresh at the market. These tomatoes have a much harder skin and far lower water content and are sweeter.
• California is the number one area in the world for tomato production – 95 percent of all tomatoes in the United States and 30 percent of all the tomatoes in the world are grown in California.
• Tomatoes are picked and processed within hours to preserve nutrients and reduce the potential for spoilage.
• Because of its focus on sustainability, Campbells has rigorous goals to reduce their environmental impact, yet still produce the same amount of food – they aim to reduce water use in fields by 20 percent and by 50 percent in their facilities over the next 10 years.

Our power-packed TASTE Tour showed us that technology and science improves many aspects of our lives including the way our food is produced. And technology, as it relates to food, can mean greater accessibility, enriched nutrition, better flavor, improved safety and more. Stay tuned for more posts about the tour.

Image: “First Harvest” by Mike McCune is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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