When were soybeans and soyfoods first introduced in the United States?
In the United States, soybeans were first introduced in Georgia, where Samuel Bowen began planting soybeans on his plantation in the 1760s. He also patented processes to make soy sauce and vermicelli (soy noodles). Almost two hundred and fifty years later, pastas made with soy were introduced into the American marketplace. Innovations in soyfood processing have created an array of soy-based foods that appeal to infants, children and adults. From 2000 to 2007, food manufacturers in the U.S. introduced over 2,700 new foods with soy as an ingredient, including 161 new products introduced in 2007 alone. The 1999 FDA approved health claim for soy and heart health brought many new introductions, leading to 406 new products in 2001, 278 in 2002, 336 in 2003, 448 in 2004, 291 in 2005, and 471 in 2006, according to the Mintel Global New Products Database. In the United States, soy drinks, tofu, cultured soy, non-meat alternatives, frozen dairy free soy treats, soy nuts, soy nut butter, and/or c
