Soy belongs to the same family as beans, lentils and peas. Its use as food goes back at least 4000 years, as recorded in China and Japan. It became a staple food in the Far East, and since then it has spread to the rest of the world. Whether as a bean or in its various processed forms like milk, tofu, miso, tempeh or oil, it is widely used for both human and animal nutrition.

Soy is one of few vegetable proteins that have all essential amino acids and therefore provide complete protein nutrition, which makes it ideally suited for a vegan diet. Unlike meat and other animal products, soy has zero cholesterol, making it an appropriate food to avoid heart disease.

Soy can be used in a wide variety of food products. Its unique characteristics facilitate the development of new products derived from soy’s texturized protein or flour, such as:

• Texturized soy, processed meats and ready meals: allows for hidrogen bridging and high water retention/absorption;

• Pasta, bakery and natural or enzymatic soy flour: helps with disulfide bridging and emulsifying, improving elasticity;

• Vegan meals and soy drinks: can replace both meat-based meals and dairy-based drinks.

The Bankom Group, from Serbia, is chiefly focused on supplying products for human and animal nutrition , and soy and its derivatives are one of Bankom’s key product lines.

They have a wide portfolio and meet the highest international standards, including FSSC 22000.