The first record of of soyabean being used for oil in China was in 980 BC; oil was generally used for illumination (burning in lamps) and the meal was used as a nitrogen-rich fertilizer on sugar cane fields in southern china.
By the 16th century, soybeans were used in Burma, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The first record of soybeans in Europe was in England in 1790. Their early introduction to the U.S. can be traced back to the mid-eighteenth century, with the largest official introduction occurring in the early 1900s.
In 1901, crushing of soybeans starts in Japan. Owada Seisakusho of Tsuruga, Fukui prefecture starts making commercial soy oil and soybean cake.
In 1904, George Washington Carver discovered that soybeans were an efficient source of oil and protein. Carver encouraged farmers to plant soybeans, which are a legume crop as they fix or add nitrogen in the soil.
Soybeans continued to be used in western countries for vegetable oil, primarily in the manufacturing of processed food products.
History of soyabean oil
