NCI Attends Soy Industry Events in Asia

NCI Food Technologist, Edil Vidal Torres, recently returned from an international trip to Southeast Asia participating in two major soy industry events in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Bangkok, Thailand.

In Vietnam, Edil attended the U.S. Identity Preserved International Summit from March 22-24, 2026, hosted by the United States Identity Preserved Alliance. As a speaker during the summit, Edil shared her presentation, “Variety Specification for Soybeans and Buckwheat; How IP Technical Handling Improves Food Manufacturing Processes”. She was excited to see the interest from participants in learning more about quality preservation throughout the supply chain. The summit also provided an opportunity for her to learn more about buckwheat production and utilization, as well as to connect with researchers, processors, and industry representatives. Thank you to the U.S. Identity Preserved for sponsoring this portion of the trip.

In Thailand, Edil attended the Asia Soy Excellence & Food Summit 2026, where the focus shifted toward soyfoods and processing technologies. She presented on “Quality and Sensory Testing for Soyfood,” which explored the key characteristics that influence product quality in tofu, soymilk, and other soy-based foods. In addition to presenting, Edil gained insights into soyfood products commonly produced across Asia, including tempeh and other traditional soy foods, while building connections with professionals working throughout the soyfood industry. Thank you to the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) for sponsoring this portion of the trip.

The trip gave Edil the opportunity to share the work that NCI is doing, promote our programs, and strengthen relationships with partners across the soybean value chain.