Although an estimated 38.8 million Americans are classified as obese, many people in the world face the opposite problem of having too little food. In fact, the number of people who go to bed hungry is 20 times the number of people who are obese—or 800 million people worldwide. Every 7 seconds one child dies from hunger and related causes, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

The United States has maintained a concerted effort to fight world hunger since World War II. Bulk commodities, such as corn-soy blends and vegetable oils, have long served as the cornerstone of feeding programs led by groups such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and Save the Children. These organizations deliver U.S. food assistance to people in countries ranging from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Yet, the battle is not just against hunger. Good nutrition is key for food assistance recipients, especially children. Proper development and good health are needed individually as well as collectively since a vigorous population is essential to the progress of a nation that seeks real economic growth and development.

Soy protein is becoming a more important tool in U.S. frontline efforts to provide good nutrition abroad. In the last 2 years both the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have approved the use of five high-protein soy products—defatted soy flour, textured soy protein, soy protein concentrates, isolated soy protein, and soy milk replacer—for use in the food assistance programs that they administer.

"The need for protein is overwhelming in many countries and people simply cannot afford animal protein; nor can the environment in some areas absorb the number of animals necessary to provide the protein requirements," says Gail Carlson, director of relief and food security for Counterpart International, an aid organization that works in more than 60 countries. "In addition, many people affected by diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis have a great deal of difficulty absorbing many types of protein. Soy products are both easy to digest and easy to work with in many difficult field conditions."

Textured soy protein contains at least 50 percent protein and can be used as a burger, as a meat sauce, and in other ways. Because of this and its previous use of the product, Food For the Poor (FFP) recently requested 500 metric tons of textured soy protein for aid work in Guyana, where a large portion of the population is vegetarian for religious reasons. "As our feeding programs continue to increase, we anticipate that any future awards Food For the Poor receives will include soy products to assist in combating the protein deficiencies that the poor of these countries experience," says Food For the Poor government program specialist Clifford Feldman.

This potential for soy prompted U.S. soybean growers to launch the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) program in 2000. "This initiative makes sense because U.S. soybean growers see the imbalance. Millions are hungry in the world and need more protein, while the U.S. soybean crop is in abundant supply," says WISHH Director Jim Hershey. "Soybean growers are using their own money through their checkoff program and leveraging it with the resources of food assistance organizations and the U.S. government to identify and demonstrate new uses for soy in foods that are popular around the world."

Hershey notes that the effort is careful to integrate soy into foods that are well received by local populations: "We aren't trying to teach the world to eat tofu."

An example of this approach is the work that the WISHH program is doing with the North American Millers' Association and the WFP. A team of food technologists went to the Central Asian country of Tajikistan, where they field-tested soy-fortified wheat flour with local bakers and home economists. The teams assessed taste preferences as well as the baking characteristics of the soy-fortified wheat flour under local conditions. The addition of 12 percent soy flour in the blend of a flat bread could nearly double the bread's protein content. This enhanced nutritional profile could be of great value to relief efforts in Afghanistan and other countries where bread is the staple of the diet.

HIV/AIDS Pandemic Calls for More Protein
The spread of HIV/AIDS is also spurring interest in soy because HIV/AIDS and malnutrition often occur in tandem. Poor nutrition increases the risk and progression of disease, and in turn, disease exacerbates malnutrition.

An estimated 36.1 million people worldwide have HIV/AIDS. This number is almost three times the combined populations of New York and Los Angeles. In some African countries, 25 to 35 percent of the population is infected with HIV, and a recent report by the United Nations describes the spread of the disease in China as a "Titanic Peril."

"HIV/AIDS-infected people may need 50 to 100 percent more protein than uninfected people. Soy may be ideally suited to help meet their requirements for protein, calories, and more," says Cade Fields-Gardner, HIV-specialist dietitian who consults with the WISHH program.

In Africa, the Humana People to People organization has even set up "soy restaurants" that are operated by committed volunteers who fight HIV/AIDS in their communities. By coupling a protein-rich meal of soy with educational programs, Humana believes that it can feed the body while it informs the mind about how to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. Soy restaurant customers pay a minimal amount for their meals, although meals are free for orphans and pregnant women.

Soy is already a primary ingredient in most nutrition supplements recommended to HIV/AIDS patients in the United States. There is also a significant level of research on soy and HIV/AIDS, which is available on the WISHH program's Web site (www.wishh.org).

Milking "SoyCows" for Food and Finance
In addition to meeting nutritional needs, international assistance organizations are also concerned about how to promote sustainable economic development in the countries where they work. "SoyCows" are gaining recognition as a tool to accomplish both goals. A SoyCow is a processing system that can grind and cook whole soybeans into soy milk, from which beverages, soy "cheese" (tofu), yogurt, and other soy foods can be made. The SoyCow can process 4 pounds of raw soybeans into 4 gallons of soy milk in about 20 minutes. This soy milk can then be further processed into value-added products such as tofu and yogurt as well as local food blends. A by-product of this process, the fiber-rich pulp commonly called okara, can be used in breads, spreads, and many other foods.

About 3,000 SoyCow systems exist in the world today, and their numbers are growing through WISHH program outreach. In 2001, the WISHH program began working with the nonprofit organization Malnutrition Matters, whose founders helped develop the SoyCow. As a result, Africare and Feed the Children have purchased systems. "All the studies show us that these soy milk programs should be run as a business," says Judy Bryson of Africare's Food for Development Unit. "You can feed people and, at the same time, increase people's income."

International interest in soy is locked into a steep acceleration pattern, according to Steve Sonka, director of the National Soybean Research Laboratory, which has produced an economic model to analyze worldwide soy demand. "Our studies have shown that with global economic growth, the need for protein increases dramatically. Even with market growth in demand, however, it is critically important that society take advantage of the many positive aspects of soy protein in alleviating suffering due to malnutrition and disease. The WISHH initiative can provide unique contributions in this regard."

Web sites for the organizations mentioned in this article:
www.wishh.org
www.wfp.org
www.counterpart.org
www.foodforthepoor.org
www.malnutrition.org