Soybean Processing Comes to Saskatchewan

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

A new state-of-the-art facility for processing soybeans could provide the Saskatchewan agricultural sector with its latest value-added innovation.

Biosynergeuticals Inc., or BioSyn for short, recently held an open house at its production site in Wynyard to unveil a ground-breaking pilot project.

The BioSyn technology is capable of extracting enzymes from soybeans, which have shown promising health benefits in the treatment of a diverse range of ailments, from diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure to acne, hives and allergic reactions.

The enzymes are removed using an innovative process that Lorne Nystrom, one of the founding members of BioSyn, calls "cutting edge, one-of-a-kind technology."

Nystrom said, "No one else in the world has this technology. We have it here in Wynyard, and we hope to take it world-wide."

The company's machinery can process batches of soybeans in 30 to 40 seconds, producing a liquid extract that removes five per cent of the soybean by weight and leaves the remainder intact for other uses, such as the production of cattle feed or tofu.

Nystrom said BioSyn will operate the Wynyard facility as a pilot project demonstration plant using a single machine for now, while the company proceeds with global product marketing and investigates additional financing opportunities.

According to Nystrom, there is a great deal of interest in the product in Asia, where aggressive promotion is currently taking place. The American and European markets are also being targeted for growth.

BioSyn is presently awaiting approval from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to sell the extract as a food in this country. In time, it is hoped the product can also be marketed in Canada as a health food, although that process can be quite lengthy.

The Wynyard processing facility is located in a former water bottling plant that sat unused for more than10 years until it was converted by BioSyn for its present use. The soybeans currently processed at the site are all grown by a local producer.

While the company's proponents feel the sky's the limit when it comes to their innovation, Nystrom said they are taking a gradual, step-by-step approach to prospective expansion.

"Our first step is to firm up markets and incorporate additional investment from folks who are expressing a great deal of interest in our technology," he said.

"We have the ability to handle some commercial processing using the single machine we currently have set up. We'll expand from there as need be," he added, noting the 45,000-square-foot Wynyard plant has room for 90 machines in addition to office space.

"Our goal is to take Wynyard, and Saskatchewan, world-wide," said Nystrom.

For further information, contact:
Lorne Nystrom, Chair, BioSyn Inc.
(306) 775-2326