http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/soy_symposium_12.html
The 12th Annual Soy Symposium
By Bill Sanda, MA, Director of Public Affairs
"Soy products: The scientific community is divided. Some say the
stuff is dangerous; some say it isn't," stated Dr. Harold Seifried
of the National Cancer Institute, who presented this conclusion to his
lecture as a poignant cartoon. The scientific community is truly
divided over the health efficacy of consuming soy-based products. Yet,
in spite of contradictory research results, the industry continues to
claim that soy is a wonder food.
Dr. Seifried was one of twelve speakers at the 12th Annual Soy
Symposium held in Washington DC on October 14, 2004, sponsored by the
United Soybean Board and Soyfoods Association of North America. The
theme was "Creating a Healthier America: The Role of Soy." The
symposium presented the case for soy from a farmer, producer, marketer
and scientific point of view, but did not represent much of any
opposing view. Still, the atmosphere was more restrained and sober than
at soy conferences in previous years. No scientist can honestly portray
the unbridled optimism for soy characteristic of past conferences.
INCONCLUSIVE
According to Dr. Seifried, the results of clinical trials and animal
research on soy and cancer are inconclusive. Some show a very favorable
response while some show little to no effect. In fact, some even show
an increased risk for cancer.
Referring to epidemiological data, Dr. Seifried also hedged his bets,
noting that "studies at the 'population' level may not hold for
particular individuals. Some individuals seem to respond to soy; others
have negative sequelae [results]." He noted that it was the job of
scientists to present the data and the findings. What is done with the
data is "best left to others."
Seifried repeated the assertion, which has surfaced recently, that for
women to receive maximum benefit from soy-based products in terms of
inhibiting the risk of breast cancer, they must consume soy-based
products starting early in life (before the age of twenty) and continue
throughout their lives. He also mentioned that postmenopausal breast
cancer patients may not benefit from soy, but that it may help younger
women. (It's not hard to imagine what the marketeers will do with
these statements.)
Seigfried's summation: The results of consuming soy to help prevent
cancer are inconsistent and inconclusive.Yet Solae Corporation, a joint
venture of DuPont and Bunge, filed a petition with the FDA in April
2004 to secure a health claim for soy protein isolate and cancer. (See
our rebuttal at http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/solae_comments.pdf. The
FDA must respond by the end of November.) Organizers of the conference
expressed confidence that Solae will receive their health claim in
spite of the inconsistent data.
EXAGGERATED
One of the most telling comments at the conference, again reflecting a
moderation in enthusiasm for soy, came from Mark Messina, PhD, of Loma
Linda University, probably the industry's most well-known
spokesperson. Mesina stated that the cholesterol-lowering benefits of
soy touted in the late 1990s and used to secure a health claim for soy
and cardiovascular disease were exaggerated. More recent research shows
that soy has a much lower impact on reducing CHD risk than originally
stated. Yet, the health claim for soy and CHD remains in place.
Dr. Messina chose his words carefully when he acknowledged that hype
for soy often does not reflect the the actual data. He referred to the
recent claim that hair growth can be restored by soy. He was also not
convinced that soy protein isolates have any beneficial impacts on
reducing obesity.
Like Dr. Seifried, Dr. Messina concluded that the research results are
inconsistent. For instance, he cited contradictory data from studies on
menopause and hot flash reduction. He lamented the broad variability in
the soy products used for research purposes, which can lead to the
variability in results.
Dr. Messina cited a recent Dutch study on postmenopausal women showing
that cognition, bone density and cholesterol reduction were not
impacted by the consumption of soy-based products. His explained away
these negative results
-which contradicted earlier studies-by stating that the women
studied were too old (over 60 years of age) to be able to receive any
benefit. Like Dr. Seifried, he claims that soy must be consumed at an
earlier age to provide protection against disease.
Messina also evoked genetics to explain away inconsistent findings. The
gene pool is different for Asians and Americans, he noted, so it is
inappropriate to apply the results of studies carried out in Asia to an
American population.
Yet in spite of the doubts he expressed to his scientific colleagues,
Dr. Messina dismissed any concerns about the marketing of soy on the
basis of health claims.
PROTEINS AND FATS
Bill Lampert of Cargill, Inc. claimed that the quality of soy protein
is equal to that in milk, eggs, and meat and that soy provides all the
essential amino acids needed for good nutrition. This claim has
absolutely no basis in fact. Like all legumes, the soybean lacks vital
sulfur-containing amino acids cystine and methionine, and processing
compromises existing ones, like lysine.
He also claimed that soy oil is healthy because it contains
polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially those of the omega-3 type.
Interestingly, efforts are now underway by the soybean industry to
reduce the amount of omega-3 EFA in soybeans in order to create a new
line of low-linolenic (omega 3) margarines and shortenings. Such oils
would not need deodorizing and so, theoretically, would contain no
trans fats but still have a long shelf life. Omega-3 fatty acids do
indeed play important roles in the body chemistry but they pose
enormous problems for the oil processing industry.
Both Monsanto and Dupont/Bunge recently announced that they have
produced a new line of GMO soybean that has reduced amounts of omega-3
EFAs for this purpose. Monsanto's line is called VISTIVE™, while
that of DuPont/Bunge is marketed as NUTRIUM™ Low Lin Soybean Oil.
These will be marketed to food producers.
We were interested to hear Mr. Lambert's list of soy protein
isolate's functional properties, so useful to the processing
industry: gelling, emulsifying, fat absorption, water holding,
elasticity, solubility, viscosity, foaming, color control,
cohesion-adhesion and flavor-binding. Soy is now being used as an egg
replacement in baked goods to save on manufacturing costs.
NEW ALLERGEN LABELING
Lester Crawford, acting director of the FDA, spoke about allergen
labeling, mandated to begin in 2005. Soy is one of eight major
allergens, along with milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, shellfish
and fin fish, whose presence in a product must be noted by special
labeling. The industry is not happy about this development because the
new labeling laws will indicate just how pervasive soy is in our food
supply-products containing "hydrolyzed protein," for example,
will require a label indicating the presence of soy.
Several participants argued that allergies to milk were more widespread
and more severe and that it was unfair to include soy in the list of
ingredients to be singled out by allergy labeling, an argument for
which Crawford showed little sympathy.
CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS
Consumer research presented by the organizers stated that 66 percent of
the American population believes that trans fats are unhealthy, up from
13 percent last year. However, 86 percent still view saturated fats as
unhealthy, thanks to industry propaganda.
It is clear that soybean growers and manufacturers are pressing on
relentlessly to increase market share of their products. Yet it is
equally clear that this increase is becoming more difficult to sustain.
A representative of Revival, manufacturer of soy-based meal
replacements, complained that "negative perceptions" about soy had
cost the company at least one million dollars in sales last year,
perhaps an early glimpse of a less-than-rosy future for soy.
Editor's Note: While soy promoters are now flirting with the
recommendation to begin soy feeding at a young age in order to prevent
breast cancer, a study published in January, 2004, found that rats
exposed to the soy isoflavone genistein just after birth showed
"profound morphological changes in the mammary glands" at maturity
(Toxicol Sci 2004 Jan;77(1):91-100).
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TC