Soyannaise is fast becoming the new mayonnaise. Here’s how to make it – and start a business with it.

Soyannaise is a breakthrough in the health-food industry. A soy-based cream, it can be used as a spread, dressing or dip and is very easy t prepare. It can also be a viable business venture because you can supply the product to so many restaurants and stores that need it for their salads and healthy sandwiches. Because these stores are targeting the health-conscious, soyannaise is perfect for them.

Producers that intend to supply restaurants and stores with soyannaise must first contact the store’s purchasing officer or manager, who normally would require samples. One or two bottles for sampling should be presented to them along with some chips, sandwiches, and salads that the target customers could sample the product with.

Aside from being a healthier alternative to mayonnaise and other high-cholesterol dressing, soyannaise is very easy to prepare. All you need to do is mix the following ingredients in a blender.

250 g sterilized tofu

250 ml soy milk

1/8 cup calamansi extract

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons chopped white onions

2 tablespoons honey

All of these ingredients are available from supermarkets and public markets. Blend all of them until the mix becomes smooth and creamy. The longer you blend them, the better. This is because the mixture becomes creamier and thicker and bubbles are prevented from forming.

It is best to use sterilized tofu for soyannise, for it makes the product last for 7 to 10 days when refrigerated. If other types or tofu are used, the product would last only one ot two days when chille. And if you use ordinary tofu, you can’t have the smooth texture typical of mayonnaise, and since the mixture would last only for a day, it must be consumed immediately.

Aside from original garlic flavor, other flavors can also be sued for soyannaise, like pesto or hot-chili soyannaise. (To make pesto soyannaise, cook fresh basil in olive oil and blend it with other ingredients listed above). Try to experiment with other flavors so you can have unique products to offer to stores.

This recipe yields about 500ml of soyannaise for a total cost of only around P120, including your overheads. You can bottle the soyannaise for retail at P150 per 250ml, giving you a 100 percent profit margin. But if you are planning to supply it to stores, it would be better to invest n your own label and packaging.

Also, it’s advisable to have your soyannaise tested and registered with the Bureau of Food and Drugs; later, you can also try getting halal accreditation for it. Making these additional steps and investments is needed if you want to commercialize your product and have a good fighting chance against similar products in the market.

By Mishell M. Malabaguio

Did you know that the freshwater mussel or tahong could give you more than a healthy body?

Tahong can actually make your bank account fat. This is because tahong can be cultured to produce precious pearls. How is this possible?

Senior scientist research specialist Adventor Neri believes that pearls are formed when a pebble or sand grain accidentally slips into the oyster, the traditional source of pearl. The pebble or sand grain causes irritation inside. In turn, the oyster covers it with layers and layers of substance that transforms into pearl over time. Freshwater mussel (Mollusca unionidae) has a shell lining that can store a pebble or sand grain than can eventually be transformed into a pearl.

Neri proved this during an eight-month experiment in Sampaloc Lake, San Pablo City. His experiment showed that irritants could be inserted into the shell lining of a mussel. Pearl then could be produced.