Liquid & Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
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What it is
Soybean oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of soybeans. It can be used in its liquid form or processed through partial hydrogenation. Partial hydrogenation is a chemical process that adds hydrogen to the oil, changing its molecular structure to make it more solid at room temperature and increase its shelf life.
Why it's used
Liquid soybean oil is commonly used as a cooking oil, in salad dressings, and in margarine. Partially hydrogenated soybean oil was historically used to provide texture, stability, and a longer shelf life to processed foods like baked goods, fried foods, and snack items.
Health notes
Liquid soybean oil is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA. However, partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), which contain artificial trans fats, are no longer considered GRAS by the FDA as of 2018. This action was taken to remove most artificial trans fats from the food supply due to concerns raised by health organizations. JECFA has evaluated soybean oil and did not set a numeric limit (ADI not specified), concluding it is not a safety concern at current intake levels.
Allergen info
This ingredient is derived from soy, which is one of the nine major food allergens identified by the FDA.