2/18/2003 (Delta Farm Press) - SOYBEAN OIL is the main ingredient in anew, all-natural skin and hair care product formulated to block the sun'sultraviolet light. The product, SoyScreen, is the invention of Joe Laszloand Dave Compton, Agricultural Research Service chemists in Peoria, Ill.,who are exploring new, value-added uses for commodities, especially soyoil.Soy oil itself doesn't offer sun protection, so the researchers figuredout how to chemically connect it to ferulic acid, an antioxidant abundantin oat bran and other natural sources that absorbs ultraviolet (UV) light.Their approach also makes ferulic acid more lipid-like, so it doesn'tdissolve in water, such as during a swim.SoyScreen is also environmentally benign, and the method for making it --biocatalysis -- uses recyclable enzymes instead of harsh solvents, notesLaszlo, at ARS' National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research inPeoria.In studies there, the scientists ran Sun Protection Factor tests comparingSoyScreen to four commercial sunscreens: oxybenzone, dioxybenzone, octylmethoxycinnamate and padimate-O. The latter two scored highest for UVBabsorbency at wavelengths of 290-320 nanometers, a range that can causeshort-term exposure problems, such as sunburn from a day on the beach.SoyScreen, however, offered the best overall protection against both UVBand UVA, another type of sunlight radiation that can cause long-termexposure problems, such as skin cancer.ARS, which patented SoyScreen on behalf of USDA, is negotiating anexclusive license with a company.