HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1994-08-17, Page 43Bean Festival, August 17, 1994 - Page 27A
29thean Festival Souvenir Edition
Beans canbe used
for more than eating
Imagine what we can do with beans
To Zurich Bean Festival -
goers, beans really mean just
one thing — LUNCH!
• However, each year, scien-
tists are finding new uses for
soybeans to add to tradition-
al uses, such as food, live-
stock feed, lubricants and
plastics.
According to Agri -book,
Magazine, current innova-
tions include soybean oil-
based diesel fuel, 'Environ'
wood -like building materials
from soy flour, acidulated
soy oil soapstock, road -dust
suppressants, new improved
soybean oil-based inks, soy
protein -based biodegradable
plastics and even soybean
silk.
Soy oil Diesel fuel consists
of methyl soyate. One bushel
of soybeans yields approxi-
mately six litres of methyl
soyate. Compared to petro -
based diesel, soy diesel pro-
duces fewer and safer
exhaust emissions, it has
similar lubricating qualities
and km/L, horsepower, etc
and a slightly higher gel
point. No engine modifica-
tions are necessary for it's
use, the magazine reports in
its February, 1994 issue.
New Used For Soybeans
Environ is a particle -board
type product manufactured
by Phenox Composites in
Minnesota. Each 22 board
feet contains one bushel of
soybeans and 55 pounds of
waste paper. It has the
appearance of granite, but
its only half as heavy and
has the features of hard-
wood. It can be made as
hard as oak or as soft as
pine. Environ is environ-
mentally friendly and cost -
competitive.
Soapstocks are produced as
a by-product of soybean oil
processing. Acidulated soap -
stocks are currently being
tested in the U.S. as dust
suppressants on gravel
roads. To date, the results
have been very encouraging.
This product has environ-
mental benefits over other
dust -suppressants products
andit utilizes an existing
economical soybean oil by-
product.
More and more printers are
switching to soy inks, recog-
nizing their superior colour -
sharpness, reduced bleed
and environmental/worker
safety. Research is ongoing
on the use of soybean pro-
tein to produce biodegrad-
able plastics. These plastics
can be used to produce dis-
posable cutlery and plates,
golf tees and so on. They
remain strong yet flexible
during use, but microbial
breakdown ensues approxi-
mately three weeks after dis-
posal. Research is also
underway on using soy pro-
tein to produce a substitute
for silk. The experimental
product is similar to real silk
but more economical.
Oatmeal -Lentil Chip
Cookies
1 cup margarine or butter
(250m1)
1 cup brown sugar (250 ml)
1/2 cup lentil puree (125 ml)
1 tsp vanilla (5 ml)
1 eggs / s
2 cups all-purpose flour
(375 ml)
1 cup quick -cooking rolled
oats (250 ml)
1 tsp. baking soda (5 ml)
1/2 tsp. salt (2 mi)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (2 mi)
2 cups semi -sweet chocolate
chips (500 ml)
Cream together margarine,
sugar and lentil puree. Stir in
vanilla and beaten eggs.
Combine dry ingredients
and stir in. Mix in chocolate
chips. Drop from spoon onto
greased cookie sheets. Bake
in 375°F (190°C) oven, 12 -14
minutes.
Yield: about 4 dozen
Spice Cake With
Upgraded Protein
Lentil puree upgrades the
'protein and offers all the
other special nutrients con-
tained in lentils. It is still
cake, but a cake with special
virtues, moist and tasty.
For a 2 -layered cake, you
will need:
3/4 cup lentil or split pea
puree (250 ml)
52pack
g) age spice cake mix
1 cup water or milk (250 ml)
Grease two 9 -inch (22 cm)
layer cake pans and follow
the package instructions for
mixing. Have puree the con-
sistency of canned pumpkin
at room temperature. Mix all
ingredients together. Bake at
350°F (180°C) 25 - 30 min-
utes, or until a toothpick
comes out clean. Put togeth-
er with a favorite frosting or
topping.
Yield: 12 servings
From: The Amazing Legume,
Aliceemier