history of meals for millions, soy, and freedom from ... - SoyInfo Center

“A plant having a capacity of about 800 kg./day has
been erected in Indonesia with the financial assistance of
UNICEF and the technical assistance of FAO. Saridele is
manufactured from a mixture of soybeans and decorticated
sesame in the proportion of 4:1. Malt extract from maize
may be used to replace 50% of the cane sugar used.
Soybean and sesame are soaked for about six hours and
then disintegrated finely, together with 7 volumes of hot
water. The slurry is stirred vigorously and then filtered. The
filtered liquid is heated under pressure for 10 minutes at
120ºC., then flashcooled and formulated with Vitamin A, in
oil solution, and malt, if desired. The formulated liquid is
homogenized, concentrated in a vacuum evaporator to about
22% solids, then spray-dried. The powder finally is sifted
and blended with finely ground cane sugar, and calcium
carbonate, riboflavin, ascorbic acid and Vitamin B 12 added;
the mixture may be flavored with vanilla or chocolate.” A
table compares the nutritional composition of whole dried
cow’s milk and Saridele (based on a leaflet from Saridele
Ltd., Indonesia). Address: FAO, Rome.
139. Product Name: [Protea].
Foreign Name: Protea.
Manufacturer’s Name: Proteinas S.A. de C.V.
Manufacturer’s Address: Mexico.
Date of Introduction: 1959. November.
Ingredients: Incl. soy flour.
New Product–Documentation: E. Orr. 1972. Tropical
Products Inst. G73. The use of protein-rich foods for the
relief of malnutrition in developing countries: an analysis of
experience. p. 17.
“In the 1950s General Mills, in collaboration with a
local entrepreneur, set up in Mexico a company, Proteinas
S.A. de C.V., to develop a market for Protea. The original
Protea was essentially the soya-based Multi-Purpose Food,
developed in the USA and sponsored by the Meals for
Millions Foundation, for whom General Mills acts as
supplier. In its early days the company offered Protea on the
retail market and was also the principal supplier of the soya
flour used for the Conasupo products. Little detailed
information is available about this enterprise. It is known
that General Mills withdrew, and that the company has been
carried on for some years by the local entrepreneur. It
supplies ‘industrial ingredients’ to the food and
pharmaceutical industries in Mexico and also produces
consumer products under the Protea trade mark. The latter
differ markedly from the original Protea, which had a very
high protein content... Sales are said to be currently at a
level of $20,000 per month and are made mainly to
institutions, although there are plans for a concentrated
effort to develop the retail outlet, which would appear at
present to be embryonic.”
Note: This is the earliest known commercial soy
product made in Mexico, or in Central America.
MEALS FOR MILLIONS, SOY, AND FREEDOM FROM HUNGER 60
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2011
140. Soybean Digest.1959. General Mills to market MPF.
Nov. p. 20.
• Summary: “Multi-Purpose Food, a dietary protein
concentrate, providing a low-cost source of essential amino
acids, vitamins and minerals, will be manufactured and
marketed by General Mills, Inc., effective Dec. 1. This
announcement was made jointly by Sewall D. Andrews, Jr.,
vice president and general manager of the oilseeds division
of General Mills, Minneapolis [Minnesota], and Clifford E.
Clinton, president of the Meals for Millions Foundation,
Inc., of Los Angeles.
“Multi-Purpose Food (MPF) is the widely publicized
‘3¢ meal’ originally developed by Dr. Henry Borsook at the
California Institute of Technology. It is a soybean product. It
has been introduced into more than 100 countries since
1946 by the nonprofit Meals for Millions Foundation. Two
ounces of MPF provide one-third of the recommended daily
dietary allowance for protein, vitamins A, D, thiamine,
riboflavin, niacin, iron, calcium, phosphorus and iodine...
“‘Now,’ Clinton stated, ‘it will be possible to meet the
ever growing demand from Americans who wish to
purchase MPF and utilize its benefits...’
“Initially, Andrews stated, MPF will be introduced to
institutions, schools, relief agencies, camps and restaurants,
as a stable, fortified, low-cost, protein food in concentrated
form. It will also be available to Civil Defense agencies for
use in case of national emergency or major disasters.
“The arrangement entered into with General Mills will
enable the Foundation to expand its worldwide educational
program, using MPF as an example of how dietary
deficiencies, of malnourished people can be corrected
through the application of 20th century food technology to
abundant, available materials of great nutritional value, the
use of which as human food is now greatly restricted.”
141. Photograph of Clifford Clinton (about 1957-59) with
his wife Nelda. 1959.
• Summary: Taken in San Pedro, California (Los Angeles
Harbor) on the dockside of the Nordanger, a freighter
destined for South America; this was strictly a pleasure
cruise.
In 1947-48 the catchy song “Slow Boat to China” was
popular. Many people in those days took freighters because
they liked the shipboard life and the various ports of call; it
was more the journey than the destination that was
important.
This photo and date were sent to Soyinfo Center by
Donald Clinton, son of Clifford Clinton (Jan. 2011).