This may look like an ordinary bean, but it could be the answer to feeding the world in the next millennium as well as curing a multitude of health problems.

It's the soy bean.

The soy bean can be processed into many forms such as soy milk and soy flour. It can also be made into a high protein, bland jelly like substance called Tofu.

Tofu has been used in Japanese cooking for a long time, in soups, fried or in salads.

In Australia more and more soy bean products are appearing on the market. But what you may not know is that 60 per cent of all products at the super market already contain soybean. Products such as most breads, flours, oils, pet food and sausages. And there are plenty of health benefits.

Soybeans are not only a nutritious food source, they contain photo estrogens, which can lessen the risk of some cancers and alleviate the symptoms of menopause.

Mr Andrew James
"Soybean consumption can help reduce the risk of cancer of the prostate and breast cancer and the phytoestrogens also have an anti oxidant effect which can reduce the risk of plaque forming in coronary arteries."

To meet the demands of the huge market world wide for soybeans, CSIRO scientists are cultivating new, higher quality varieties that are suitable for Australian conditions, particularly the tropics of Queensland.

Varieties are being specially bred to a very high quality, which with the right texture and protein content can, in Japan, demand over 600 dollars per tonne.

With the development of new varieties of soy bean and the demand from Asia, the expected result is a $25 million dollar export industry.

It's a valuable development that can provide health benefits as well as help answer the problem of future world food shortages.