Soybean Products

All the following soy products begin with dried soybeans, which are blended with water and then strained to yield soymilk. Some soy products are made from raw soymilk, but most also contain a coagulant, such as calcium sulfate (gypsum), to encourage the proteins to bind together. Further processes define the final texture and taste of the end product. Countless products with countless textures can be crafted from soy. These include the familiar bean curd (tofu) in varying firmnesses, dried sheets that are used as spring roll skins or wrappers, chewy snack foods, resilient meat or fish substitutes, and more. Some of the most widely used include the following: