New Claim Reaffirms the Positive Role of Soy Protein for Heart Health

CHESTERFIELD, Mo., March 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) and Soy Nutrition Institute Global (SNI Global) applaud a new general level soy heart health claim in Australia and New Zealand.¹ Similar claims already exist in the United States,² Canada,³ and Japan,⁴ further reinforcing soy protein's role in supporting heart health worldwide.

The approved claim states: "Consuming 20–25 g of isolated soybean protein from foods or beverages daily, as part of a healthy, balanced diet, contributes to heart health by supporting healthy cholesterol levels."

Isolated soy protein, derived from soybeans, contains 90% protein and is a high-quality protein, providing all nine essential amino acids in the amounts needed by children and adults.⁵ It can enhance the nutritional value of foods and beverages such as bars, cereals, baked goods, meat alternatives, and fortified plant-based milks. Just one to two servings of soy foods per day—like a soy protein bar (~17g protein) or beverage (15–20g protein)—can provide 20–25g of soy protein.

Heart disease remains a global health concern, and abnormal cholesterol levels are a key risk factor.⁶ Research supports soy protein's cholesterol-lowering effects.⁷ Soy foods promote heart health by providing high-quality protein that helps reduce total and LDL cholesterol while being naturally low in saturated fat.

"Around 60% of Australian adults and a significant portion of New Zealanders have abnormal blood lipid levels; therefore, a soy-inclusive diet presents a practical nutrition strategy to help maintain optimal cholesterol levels and heart health," said Alan Barclay, PhD, lead author of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) submission.

Under FSANZ regulations, general level health claims must be scientifically supported, meet stringent nutrient profiling criteria and can appear on food labels and associated marketing materials in Australia and New Zealand.

"The recognition of soy protein's heart health benefits reinforces the value U.S. Soy delivers, from farmers growing sustainable soybeans to companies producing nutritious soy foods and oil worldwide," said Will McNair, USSEC's Director of Soy Foods and Oil.

IFF's Food Ingredients business unit supported the advancement of this general level health claim, underscoring its commitment to expanding the accessibility and impact of soy-based nutrition across Australia and New Zealand. IFF will lead its implementation across the region.

Partially funded by USDA FAS and the United Soybean Board

Media Contacts:
Kerrey Kerr-Enskat, USSEC
kenskat@ussec.org

Sarah Alsager, SNI Global
Sarah.alsager@sniglobal.org

¹ Food Standards Australia New Zealand, Notified Food Health Relationships to Make a Health Claim, January 2026
² Code of Federal Regulations, title-21/section-101.82, October 1999
³ Summary of Health Canada's Assessment of a Health Claim about Soy Protein and Cholesterol Lowering, Government of Canada, March 2015
⁴ Food for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Approved FOSHU Products Chart, Retrieved February 2026
⁵ Hughes, G.J., Ryan, D.J., Mukherjea, R. and Schasteen, C.S., "Protein digestibility-corrected amino acid scores (PDCAAS) for soy protein isolates and concentrate: Criteria for evaluation," J. Agric. Food Chem., 59, 12707-12712. Dec 2011.
⁶ Soy + Heart Health, United Soybean Board, July 2022
⁷ The Journal of Nutrition, Blanco Mejia S, Messina M, Li SS, Viguiliouk E, Chiavaroli L, Khan TA, Srichaikul K, Mirrahimi A, Sievenpiper JL, Kris-Etherton P, Jenkins DJA. A meta-analysis of 46 studies identified by the FDA demonstrates that soy protein decreases circulating LDL and total cholesterol concentrations in adults. J Nutr. 2019;149(6):968-981. doi:10.1093/jn/nxz020.

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