In 2025, soy-based innovation earned national recognition when two products powered by U.S. Soy were named among Popular Science’s Top 50 Greatest Innovations. The honor highlights how soy continues to move beyond traditional uses and into real-world solutions that demand high performance, safety, and sustainability across multiple industries.
https://www.popsci.com/gear/best-of-whats-new-2025/
One of the recognized innovations is SoyFoam™, a soy-based firefighting foam developed by Cross Plains Solutions. Designed to help replace traditional firefighting foams that contain PFAS, SoyFoam™ demonstrates how soy chemistry can meet the rigorous demands of emergency response while supporting efforts to reduce firefighter exposure to harmful substances. By delivering effective fire suppression without relying on fluorinated chemicals, SoyFoam™ represents a meaningful step forward in protecting both first responders and the environments in which they operate.
The second innovation, Mimikai Insect Repellent, brings soy-based technology into everyday consumer use. Mimikai is the first new EPA-registered insect repellent introduced in 25 years and is built on principles of biomimicry, using soybean oil and other naturally derived ingredients. Rather than relying on harsh chemicals such as DEET, Mimikai achieves comparable effectiveness by mimicking the natural ways insects repel one another. Its success demonstrates that soy-based ingredients can meet strict regulatory standards while delivering performance consumers expect from personal protection products.
Together, these two innovations illustrate the breadth of soy’s potential. From emergency response applications that demand reliability under extreme conditions to consumer products used in daily life, soy-based solutions are proving capable of replacing petroleum-based chemistry without sacrificing performance. Recognition from Popular Science, a publication with more than 150 years of history spotlighting breakthroughs that move humanity forward, underscores the growing role of U.S. Soy in shaping a more sustainable, high-performance future.