The soyabean is considered one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world. The plant is approximately 50cm in height and has a vegetation period of only 100 days. The shells contain 2 to 4 beans of which the oil is obtained. Soybean oil is rich in polyunsatured fatty acids of which over 50% essential fatty acids*. It is mainly used in applications like baking fats, mayonnaise, frying oil, salad and cooking oils, as an ingredient in margarine and for other edible uses. Besides food applications, soybean oil is also used by the chemical and technical industry in applications like varnish and lacquer.