history of soy yogurt, soy acidophilus milk and other ... - SoyInfo Center

in developing a whipped topping.”
A W-2 form shows that during 1945 Holton W. Diamond
(who lived at 1648 May Ave., Dearborn, Michigan) was
employed by “Russell-Taylor Inc., 1951 E. Ferry Ave.,
Detroit 11, Michigan.” [Note: Diamond was working on their
whip topping]. His wages totaled $552.13 in 1945. A 1946
form shows he was paid wages $68.25 by Russell-Taylor in
the fi rst quarter of 1946.
At about the time World War II was over (Aug. 1945),
Florence Barbier, a graduate of Stephens College (Columbia,
Missouri) was transferred from the Rouge Chemical
Laboratory (where she had worked during the war) to the
Carver Laboratory. There she fi rst met Rex–who interviewed
her for the job. She ran analyses on the soymilk that they
made there frequently, worked on the development of a
fermented soymilk cheese (which was never very good),
and made some tofu. Soymilk was made at the Carver Lab.
in 100 gallon batches approximately 2 to 3 times a week.
Alberta Hardy (who now lives in Lansing, Michigan) was
one of the people who helped make the soymilk. Some of
this soymilk was given to any woman in the Dearborn area
(not just Ford employees) who could not tolerate cow’s milk
and who wanted to stop by and pick some up free of charge.
It was also sent to the Henry Ford Hospital and to Henry
Ford’s Greenfi eld Village Schools where it was served free
of charge at recess each morning and afternoon. It was also
served to the students for their noon meal at the Clinton Inn
in Greenfi eld Village. Florence recalls soymilk being served
in this way when she was a high school student there in the
mid-1930s. The soymilk was poured from a large metal
container into glasses, which were placed in the hallways at
recess times for anyone who wanted it. “Henry Ford wanted
all the experimental work done at the Carver Lab. to be of
benefi t to the public. Even the inventions were to be made
available to anyone who wanted them.” Florence’s father,
A. Roy Barbier, had worked for Henry Ford as advertising
manager for the Ford Motor Co. from 1924 to the autumn
of 1941. Barbier worked closely with Edsel Ford and
considered him an intelligent and very competent person–in
fact one of the fi nest people he ever met. But Edsel was
overshadowed by his famous father, Henry Ford. Barbier
thought Edsel never received the credit he so richly deserved.
On 21 Feb. 1946 Rex Diamond applied (alone, and not
as an assignor to the Ford Motor Co.) for a U.S. patent (No.
2,487,698) titled “Topping for salads, desserts, and similar
products.” The patent was issued on 8 Nov. 1949. The allvegetable
topping called for the use of about 1.5% soy bean
protein, 25-35% hydrogenated soybean oil, etc.
Prior to the formation of Vegetable Products
Corporation, Rex made many trips to try to procure a source
of shortening (still in short supply after the war) to be used in
the manufacture of the whipped topping he planned to make.
On 28 Feb. 1946, on a fl ight to New York City, he wrote to
Florence that on the plane he enjoyed “an apricot cobbler
HISTORY OF SOY YOGURT & CULTURED SOYMILK 358
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topped with what I am almost sure was Delsoy Topping”–a
non-dairy whipped topping introduced in late 1943 and made
by Bob Smith. (Note: Bob Smith left the Ford Motor Co. in
Aug. 1945 to work full time with Delsoy Products.) While
Rex was still employed at the Carver Laboratory, he did
some part time evening and weekend work as a consultant
for Delsoy Products, conducting experiments to try to
improve Delsoy. On 13 June 1946, before he left Ford, he
obtained a written release from Mr. E.C. McRae, of the Ford
Motor Co. patent dept. stating: “Inasmuch as the Ford Motor
Company is not in any way interested in the manufacture
of soybean food products, we have no objection to your
patenting any ideas you may have along this line.” Again,
Diamond was planning for his whipped topping.
In Aug. 1946 Rex started thinking seriously about
and developing a business plan and fi nding sources of raw
materials for starting a “soy bean dairy” to make whip
topping, soy ice cream, soy cheese, and chocolate malted.
With the help of attorney Arthur M. Smith, he wrote Mr.
Adrian Joyce [of The Glidden Co.] on 16 Aug. 1946 to
see if Joyce had any interest in his ideas and inventions.
Continued. Address: 1112 Pawnee Trail #2, Georgetown,
Kentucky 40324. Phone: 502-863-5055.
963. Soyfoods Assoc. of America. 1992. Soyfoods 2000:
Merchandising soy products into the next century (Ad).
Natural Foods Merchandiser. Dec. 16-page color special
supplement, 8½ by 11 inches, inserted after p. 28.
• Summary: Contains full color ads by Morinaga Nutritional
Foods, Inc. (Mori-Nu Tofu, Firm and Extra Firm), Lightlife
Foods, Inc. (5 types of tempeh, Tempeh Burgers [Lemon
Grill, American Grill, Barbecue Grill], Tofu Pups, Vegetarian
Chili, Sloppy J, Foney Baloney, Fakin Bacon, Lean Links),
Worthington Foods, Inc. (Natural Touch Okara Pattie,
Garden Pattie, Dinner Entrée, Lentil Rice Loaf), Sovex
Natural Foods, Inc. (Better Than Milk, Tofu Ice Cream
[Vanilla or Strawberry], Good Shepherd Spelt, Millet-Rice
Flakes, For Goodness Flakes!), Vitasoy (U.S.A.) Inc. (Light
Vanilla, Original, and Cocoa soy drinks).
Contains black-and-white ads by White Wave, Inc.
(Five Grain Tempeh, Meatless Tofu Steaks, Soya A Melt
Soy Cheeses [Regular or Fat Free] and Singles, Lemon
Broil Tempeh, Amaranth Tempeh, Teriyaki Burgers, Organic
Tofu, Dairyless Non-Dairy Yogurts, Tempeh Burgers, Sea
Veggie Tempeh, Meatless Healthy Franks, Snack’n Savory
Tofu), Cemac Foods Corp. (Unbelievable brand Cheesecake;
based on nonfat baker’s cheese; contains no soy, no fat, no
cholesterol), Solait International Ltd. (Solait Powdered Soy
Beverage), Tofutti Brands, Inc. (Lite Lite Tofutti, Tofutti
Cuties, Land of the Free [Non-dairy frozen desserts, free
of fat and sugar, sweetened with fruit juice], Tofutti Egg
Watchers, Better than Cream Cheese, Sour Supreme [Nondairy
sour cream], Premium Tofutti, Tofutti Soft Serve Mix),
Sharon’s Finest (TofuRella), American Natural Snacks (Soya