Re: Food Soybean Varieties

Carol A. Miles (milesc@wsu.edu)
Tue, 12 Nov 1996 19:12:06 -0800

For the last 2 years I have been testing vegetable soybeans for commerical
production potential in southwest Washington. These are specialty soybean
varieties that are harvested green and eaten as a fresh, green vegetable.
I would be happy to give you more information if you wish.

>> I have had a couple of calls in the past week from clients asking
>> about "Human Food Soybean Varieties". Both clients were talking about
>> something they read that said not to use standard "commercial farm"
>> soybean varieties because they are posionous. I called the KSU
>> Soybean breeder who indicated that this was not true and that the
>> distinction between "commercial farm" soybean varieties and "food"
>> varieties was very blurry and very gray. He also indicated what I
>> already knew about the tripsin inhibitor in raw soybeans and the need
>> to cook any of the soybeans to get around that.
>>
>> Given this background what are your feelings AND can you recommend
>> some human food grade varieties and sources of seed for people who
>> want to grow their own?
>>
>> Thanks in advance!
>>
>> Chuck

Carol A. Miles, Ph.D.
Washington State University
Extension Agricultural Systems
360 NW North Street
Chehalis, WA 98532
PHONE 360-740-1295 FAX 360-740-2792
milesc@wsu.edu