A comprehensive food-grade soybean testing and analysis program will now be delivered by the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC).
Soy Canada is partnering with CGC on the Canadian Soy Quality Program that is used by world-wide customers of Canadian soybeans.
Coordinated by Soy Canada, the program provides independent, third-party data on the quality of Canadian food-grade soybeans.
Results from the Soy Quality program helps international buyers understand the quality of Canadian food-grade soybeans.
Soy Canada executive director Brian Innes said they are confident CGC will continue the tradition of measuring soy quality.
“We recognize the storied legacy of the soy quality program that began at AAFC’s research centre in Harrow, Ont. and we’re committed to continuing to provide our customers trusted information on how our varieties will perform in their soy food manufacturing facilities,” Innes said.
To maintain consistency and ensure the scientific integrity of the data year over year, the same methodologies used at AAFC Harrow will continue to be applied.
After extensive discussions, Soy Canada selected the CGC as the new partner to take over the program from AAFC Harrow. Innes notes the CGC and AAFC Harrow have worked together to ensure continuity and a seamless transition.
Dr. Ning Wang, research scientist and program manager for pulses, will lead the CGC’s Soy Quality program technical team.
He said they are honoured to continue the internationally recognized work started at AAFC Harrow in CGC’s own world-class Grain Research Laboratory.
“The CGC has a long track record of supporting Canada’s food grade soybean sector through our Canadian Identity Preserved Recognition System, making us an excellent fit to deliver the Soy Quality Program in partnership with Soy Canada,” Wang said.
The program consists of two primary testing components that will see more than 2,000 soybean samples submitted for testing for the 2024 crop year.
The Food-Grade Variety testing provides compositional analysis for food-grade soybean varieties in trials across Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec.
The Soyfood Performance Testing evaluates the functional properties of soy products like tofu and soy milk. Both seed developers and exporters utilize the program to have credible information about the varieties they develop and market.
The program is supported by Producteurs de Grains du Quebec, Grain Farmers of Ontario and the Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers.