Soy Wards Off Sunburn?

PEORIA, Ill.--Researchers from the Agricultural ResearchService (ARS) invented a new use for soybean oil and a constituent found in riceor oat bran--as a personal care product meant to protect the skin and hair fromultraviolet (UV) light. Soybean oil itself does not offer sun protection,according to ARS, but researchers Joe Laszlo and Dave Compton reported it doeswhen combined with ferulic acid, an antioxidant found in oat bran. This way, theferulic acid is more lipid-like, which makes it waterproof.

Laszlo and Compton ran sun protection factor (SPF) tests comparing thecompound to four commercial sunscreens: oxybenzone, dioxybenzone, octylmethoxycinnamate and padimate-O. The soy/ferulic acid combo offered the bestprotection from both UVB and UVA light. The results are posted at www.ncaur.usda.gov/nc/079soyscreen.html.

The sunscreen was patented by ARS as SoyScreen