WASHINGTON, D.C. – While many national farm organizations are praising the recent release of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ “Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2025-2030 (DGA),” at least two U.S. soybean groups are questioning some of the report’s findings.

According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, the report marks “the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in decades. The new guidelines deliver a clear, common-sense message to the American people: eat real food,” they said in a Jan. 7 media statement.

Kennedy and Rollins said DGA emphasizes “simple, flexible guidance-rooted in modern nutrition science” such as: prioritizing protein at every meal; consuming full-fat dairy with no added sugars; eating vegetables and fruits throughout the day; incorporating healthy fats from whole foods like meats, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, olives and avocados; focusing on whole grains, while sharply reducing refined carbohydrates; and limiting highly processed foods, added sugars and artificial additives.

However, Scott Metzger, American Soybean Association (ASA) president and Williamsport, Ohio, farmer, said in a Jan. 7 media statement the report’s appendix continues to call into question the process of soybean oil extraction, which is scientifically proven to be safe for human health. 

He said soybean oil and soy protein play a critical role in the health and nutrition of Americans: “U.S. soybean farmers are proud to grow a heart-healthy and high-protein crop that can feed the country and the world.

“ASA appreciates that the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans acknowledge the importance of soy as part of a well-balanced diet, but we remain deeply concerned by the rhetoric and selectively cited studies regarding the health and safety of soybean oil in DGA-supporting material,” he added.

In an official Jan. 21 joint statement to Farm World, ASA explained why the soybean oil extraction process is safe for human consumption: “Seed oils, including soybean oil, are most often extracted using solvents like hexane.

“Hexane is an organic liquid solvent used to effectively and safely separate oils from any mixed material,” the statement said. “This has been common practice for decades, dating back to the 1930s, and is used globally to produce protein and fiber for livestock feed and the remaining oil for human consumption.”

According to ASA, “By the most conservative estimates, an individual would need to drink 158 times more oil than average, about 4,900 grams, to reach the minimal risk level for hexane. Further refinement removes toxic compounds, improves shelf stability, and removes undesirable odors. The FDA has reviewed this process and recognizes it as safe. Furthermore, the body of scientific evidence overwhelmingly endorses the consumption of soybean oil, regardless of processing method.”

ASA said “the authors cite (in DGA’s appendix) lipid absorption in rats, which does not correlate with the same association in humans. Researchers conducting rodent studies have acknowledged that human metabolism is much more complex. The questions posed in the appendix ignore the immense body of evidence that support replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats, like soybean oil.

“While many Americans may never see these discussions reflected in the final dietary guidelines, their inclusion reveals a troubling mindset among the authors toward seed oils that is not supported by the evidence,” ASA added. “Such false claims risk eroding consumer confidence in a safe, widely used product and threaten an important market for producers who are already facing challenging economic conditions.”

The National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) agreed with ASA, saying in a Jan. 7 statement that “some appendices rely on a narrow evidence base with limited citations, which is concerning,” given the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ claims, they asserted, questioning the safety of certain vegetable oils, despite an established scientific consensus.

Without strong demand for vegetable oils, NOPA said, these protein ingredients become less available, limiting production, and increasing costs across the food system: “Grown by American farmers, these oilseeds and the full range of products that come from them help strengthen a resilient farm-to-table supply chain that delivers nutritious and affordable options to households nationwide.”

Metzger said, “ASA will continue to address claims that disparage the use of soybean oil and promote solutions that are healthy and safe for consumers.”

To view the complete list of DGA, visit: https://realfood.gov.