Genistein, isoflavones, phytoestrogens...all of these are consumer buzzwords as a result of the most innovative research available in modern science. It is an exciting world now that the "fountain of youth," an age old dream, appears to be bubbling, with new studies building on the frontiers in soy research.

As a private practice nutritionist, I have been seeing more and more women who come to me asking about that miracle food called soybeans. They have heard it helps with hot flashes and want to know, "What are its uses and how is it prepared?" Some are interested in its properties related to delaying the onset of osteoporosis, attributed to the weak estrogenic activity it possesses. Besides looking for relief in PMS and menopause, women are also interested in the bone health and wrinkle-free skin benefits that they've heard can be obtained from maintaining a more consistent balance of estrogen in the body.

So far, all I've mentioned is women. Everyone is excited as they hear about testimonials of people beating cancer and conquering heart disease. Is soy truly the miracle food? Well, it certainly is versatile. As a nutritionist, even I need to keep a cheat sheet on the uses of the soybean; my handy reference sheet has a consumer-ready explanation of complex words such as genistein, isoflavones and phytoestrogens. And the research keeps on coming.

If educators are still working on getting this information under their belt, consumers are certainly going to have questions too. Consumers know very little about the uses of soybeans at this point in time. They know what tofu is, but they have no awareness of isoflavones. They are willing to learn, however.

The United Soybean Board has done-and continues to do-a magnificent job getting the research, information on functional qualities and recipe development out to registered dietitians, who are the consumer educators. I commend all of the soybean organizations for the fine job they have done. Soyfoods USA and The Soy Connection are two well written newsletters on which I also rely for updated information.

You are the manufacturers. You are shaping what the world will consume in the form of food or dietary supplements. Let's face it, we all know there are some products out there that have no business being manufactured. But soy is truly a different story all together. It is a natural plant that has a handful of nutritional benefits. Manufacturing has the tremendous task of marketing this complex beauty in an uncomplicated, unintimidating manner to its customers.

Try contracting with a registered dietitian on this huge undertaking. We know our consumers personally. We can tell you what's a consumer "turn-on." For starters, whatever form of soyfood your company produces, be sure to include a little insert or summary of all the uses of soy, e.g., soy nuts, soy flour, soy protein, tofu, meat analogs, soy oil, tempeh, soy milk, soybeans. This will satisfy some of the curiosities that the public has about soy. Many of these products have been on the shelf for years, but I bet only half of the people really know that "veggie burgers" are soy meat; their perception is they're made of some disgusting "filler" they would rather not associate with.

Next, have a consumer hotline setup. Registered dietitians can help you with this. They will give you accurate information on the scientific questions that customers may ask. To find a dietitian in your area, you can contact the American Dietetic Association at www. eatright.org. They can help you with recipe development, labeling issues and even sound marketing strategies for a successful product.