Soybean products aren’t limited to tofu anymore. In fact, soy is everywhere, and in many non-food products you just wouldn’t expect. Soy products are powering city buses, insulating buildings, and filling your stuffed animals. Many products marketed as “green” or “eco-friendly” use soy-based alternatives to petroleum products. There are even new plastics made from soy.
Saas Achim / Getty Images
Some of these products may be so processed that the soy proteins have been broken down and no longer allergenic. In fact, research into highly processed soy indicates that this may be the case, at least for such highly processed products as plastic and biofuel. However, there is no way to predict the allergic potential of a product before you use it. Reactions to non-food items containing soy are rare and poorly described, but some people get them.
Therefore, always check the ingredients of cosmetics, lotions,shampoos, or anything else that you will be putting on your skin. If you’re very sensitive to soy, you may need to delve further into the ingredients of potential purchases. Don’t allow soy-allergic young children who put things in their mouths to play with soy-based crayons or modeling dough.
Soy in Products Around the Home
These products that you may use around your home don’t always contain soy-based ingredients. However, all of themcancontain soy. While most people with soy allergy will not need to avoid soy-containing products like these in their environments, it is useful to be aware of materials that can cause possible exposure.
Products and substances that may contain soy:
Soy in Your Drugs and Personal Care Products
You probably realize that soy-based ingredients are ubiquitous in cosmetics and other personal care products. I just checked a few labels, and more than 90% of those I scanned contained something derived from soybeans.
Soybean oilis common in products you put on your skin and in your hair, and many supplements and other medications contain soy. Some manufacturers will call out soy ingredients, while others will not.
Below is a list of personal care products that may contain soy. Keep in mind that highly refined soybean oil is unlikely to carry significant allergen and many of these products may be okay for patients with soy allergy. If you have questions, talk with your allergist about which ones to avoid.
Soybeans in the Toy Box
If your child has a soy allergy, you’ve likely already spent plenty of time tracking down places where the allergen can lurk. The toy box definitely is one of them. The toys and crafts below may contain soy. Remember that many non-food items made with soy are unlikely to cause a reaction in patients with soy allergy. However, if your child has a severe soy allergy or you are concerned about possible exposures, talk with your allergist about which products your child needs to strictly avoid.
Industrial, Auto, and Building Supplies With Soy
Since soybeans are inexpensive, manufacturers use them in everything from mechanical equipment to building materials. The following products may include soy ingredients:
A Word From Verywell
Obviously, people who have a soy allergy need to worry first about soy ingredients in the foods they eat. As common as soy is in non-food items, it’s even more common in processed food products. Make sure you’re aware of the potential non-food uses for soy, particularly if you’re very sensitive.
SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Wood, Robert. Food Allergens in Non-Food Items.Gu X, Beardslee T, Zeece M, Sarath G, Markwell J.Identification of IgE-binding proteins in soy lecithin. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2001 Nov;126(3):218-25.Levin, Cheryl; Erin Warshaw. Protein Contact Dermatitis: Allergens, Pathogenesis, and Management. Dermatitis. 2008;19(5):241-251.Mills, E. N., et al. Impact of Food Processing on the Structural and Allergenic Properties of Food Allergens. Mol Nutr Food Res53.8 (2009): 963-9.United Soybean Board.Consumer Products Guide.
Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Wood, Robert. Food Allergens in Non-Food Items.Gu X, Beardslee T, Zeece M, Sarath G, Markwell J.Identification of IgE-binding proteins in soy lecithin. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2001 Nov;126(3):218-25.Levin, Cheryl; Erin Warshaw. Protein Contact Dermatitis: Allergens, Pathogenesis, and Management. Dermatitis. 2008;19(5):241-251.Mills, E. N., et al. Impact of Food Processing on the Structural and Allergenic Properties of Food Allergens. Mol Nutr Food Res53.8 (2009): 963-9.United Soybean Board.Consumer Products Guide.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Wood, Robert. Food Allergens in Non-Food Items.Gu X, Beardslee T, Zeece M, Sarath G, Markwell J.Identification of IgE-binding proteins in soy lecithin. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2001 Nov;126(3):218-25.Levin, Cheryl; Erin Warshaw. Protein Contact Dermatitis: Allergens, Pathogenesis, and Management. Dermatitis. 2008;19(5):241-251.Mills, E. N., et al. Impact of Food Processing on the Structural and Allergenic Properties of Food Allergens. Mol Nutr Food Res53.8 (2009): 963-9.United Soybean Board.Consumer Products Guide.
Wood, Robert. Food Allergens in Non-Food Items.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
