Fifty years ago soybeans didn't exist in Mediterranean countries. Then vegetarian soy products came on the market. Today, at least in the countries on the north rim of the Mediterranean basin, they are quite common, especially as soy milk. How did this major change come about?
The Unites States began to grow soybeans during World War I, to supply its European allies with culinary oil and glycerin for explosives. From then on, the use of soybeans was strongly promoted, and during the Marshall Plan, imports of soy to Europe tripled. The trade of soy is mainly overseen by three multinationals: Bunge, ADM y Cargill. During the 20th Century, the U.S. was the world's main exporter of soybeans. During the 1990's, multinationals in search of cheap land and labor introduced soy farming in Latin America, for the most part with genetically modified varieties of soybeans.
Despite its reputation as “healthy and natural”, soy has come under suspicion for its role in certain hormonal disorders (it's high in isoflavones) and for creating an imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (having too much omega-6).
Most of us eat more soy than we think, due its ubiquity as an
ingredient in processed foods. The vast majority of soy on the market
is genetically modified (GM). In some countries, the laws require food
manufacturers to state on the label if more than a certain percentage
of a food's ingredients are GM. However, this is rarely done in the
case of processed foods. After doing some research we were unable to
come to anything conclusive. We share the concerns of organizations
like Greenpeace, that these laws may serve no purpose other than to
silence opposition to GM foods.