SOY LECITHIN

CAS No: 8002-43-5
EC No: 232-307-2

Soy Lecithin is a generic term to designate any group of yellow-brownish fatty substances occurring in animal and plant tissues which are amphiphilic – they attract both water and fatty substances (and so are both hydrophilic and lipophilic), and are used for smoothing food textures, emulsifying, homogenizing liquid mixtures, and repelling sticking materials.

Soy Lecithins are mixtures of glycerophospholipids including phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidic acid.

Soy Lecithin was first isolated in 1845 by the French chemist and pharmacist Théodore Gobley. 
In 1850, he named the phosphatidylcholine lécithine. Gobley originally isolated Soy Lecithin from egg yolk—λέκιθος lekithos is "egg yolk" in Ancient Greek—and established the complete chemical formula of phosphatidylcholine in 1874; in between, he had demonstrated the presence of Soy Lecithin in a variety of biological matters, including venous blood, in human lungs, bile, human brain tissue, fish eggs, fish roe, and chicken and sheep brain.

Soy Lecithin can easily be extracted chemically using solvents such as hexane, ethanol, acetone, petroleum ether or benzene; or extraction can be done mechanically. 
Soy Lecithin is usually available from sources such as egg yolk, marine sources, soybeans, milk, rapeseed, cottonseed, and sunflower oil. 
Soy Lecithin has low solubility in water, but is an excellent emulsifier. 
In aqueous solution, its phospholipids can form either liposomes, bilayer sheets, micelles, or lamellar structures, depending on hydration and temperature. 
This results in a type of surfactant that usually is classified as amphipathic. 
Soy Lecithin is sold as a food additive and dietary supplement. In cooking, it is sometimes used as an emulsifier and to prevent sticking, for example in non-stick cooking spray.

Production
Commercial Soy Lecithin, as used by food manufacturers, is a mixture of phospholipids in oil. 
The Soy Lecithin can be obtained by water degumming the extracted oil of seeds. 
Soy Lecithin is a mixture of various phospholipids, and the composition depends on the origin of the lecithin. 
A major source of Soy Lecithin is soybean oil. 
Because of the EU requirement to declare additions of allergens in foods, in addition to regulations regarding genetically modified crops, a gradual shift to other sources of Soy Lecithin (such as sunflower lecithin) is taking place.
The main phospholipids in Soy Lecithin from soy and sunflower are phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl inositol, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidic acid. 
They often are abbreviated to PC, PI, PE, PS and PA, respectively. Purified phospholipids are produced by companies commercially.

Hydrolysed Soy Lecithin
To modify the performance of Soy Lecithin to make it suitable for the product to which it is added, it may be hydrolysed enzymatically. 
In hydrolysed Soy Lecithins, a portion of the phospholipids have one fatty acid removed by phospholipase. 
Such phospholipids are called lysophospholipids. 
The most commonly used phospholipase is phospholipase A2, which removes the fatty acid at the C2 position of glycerol. 
Soy Lecithins may also be modified by a process called fractionation. During this process, Soy Lecithin is mixed with an alcohol, usually ethanol. 
Some phospholipids, such as phosphatidylcholine, have good solubility in ethanol, whereas most other phospholipids do not dissolve well in ethanol. 
The ethanol is separated from the Soy Lecithin sludge, after which the ethanol is removed by evaporation to obtain a phosphatidylcholine-enriched Soy Lecithin fraction.

Genetically modified crops as a source of Soy Lecithin
As described above, Soy Lecithin is highly processed. Therefore, genetically modified (GM) protein or DNA from the original GM crop from which it is derived often is undetectable – in other words, it is not substantially different from Soy Lecithin derived from non-GM crops. 
Nonetheless, consumer concerns about genetically modified food have extended to highly purified derivatives from GM food, such as Soy Lecithin. 
This concern led to policy and regulatory changes in the EU in 2000, when Commission Regulation (EC) 50/2000 was passed[10] which required labelling of food containing additives derived from GMOs, including Soy Lecithin. 
Because it is nearly impossible to detect the origin of derivatives such as Soy Lecithin, the European regulations require those who wish to sell Soy Lecithin in Europe to use a meticulous, but essential system of identity preservation (IP).

Properties and applications

Soy Lecithin for sale at a grocery store in Uruguay
Soy Lecithins have emulsification and lubricant properties, and are a surfactant. 
They can be completely metabolized (see inositol) by humans, so are well tolerated by humans and nontoxic when ingested; some other emulsifiers can only be excreted via the kidneys.

The major components of commercial soybean-derived Soy Lecithin are:

33–35% Soybean oil
20–21% Phosphatidylinositols
19–21% Phosphatidylcholine
8–20% Phosphatidylethanolamine
5–11% Other phosphatides
5% Free carbohydrates
2–5% Sterols
1% Moisture
Soy Lecithin is used for applications in human food, animal feed, pharmaceuticals, paints, and other industrial applications.

Applications include:

In the pharmaceutical industry, it acts as a wetting agent, stabilizing agent and a choline enrichment carrier, helps in emulsification and encapsulation, and is a good dispersing agent. 
Soy Lecithin can be used in manufacture of intravenous fat infusions and for therapeutic use.
In animal feed, it enriches fat and protein and improves pelletization.
In the paint industry, it forms protective coatings for surfaces with painting and printing ink, has antioxidant properties, helps as a rust inhibitor, is a colour-intensifying agent, catalyst, conditioning aid modifier, and dispersing aid; 
it is a good stabilizing and suspending agent, emulsifier, and wetting agent, helps in maintaining uniform mixture of several pigments, helps in grinding of metal oxide pigments, is a spreading and mixing aid, prevents hard settling of pigments, eliminates foam in water-based paints, and helps in fast dispersion of latex-based paints.
Soy Lecithin also may be used as a release agent for plastics, an antisludge additive in motor lubricants, an antigumming agent in gasoline, and an emulsifier, spreading agent, and antioxidant in textile, rubber, and other industries.
Food additive
The nontoxicity of Soy Lecithin leads to its use with food, as an additive or in food preparation. 
Soy Lecithin is used commercially in foods requiring a natural emulsifier or lubricant.

In confectionery, it reduces viscosity, replaces more expensive ingredients, controls sugar crystallization and the flow properties of chocolate, helps in the homogeneous mixing of ingredients, improves shelf life for some products, and can be used as a coating. 
In emulsions and fat spreads, such as margarines with a high fat content of more than 75%, it stabilizes emulsions, reduces spattering (splashing and scattering of oil droplets) during frying, improves texture of spreads and flavor release.
In doughs and baking, it reduces fat and egg requirements, helps even out distribution of ingredients in dough, stabilizes fermentation, increases volume, protects yeast cells in dough when frozen, and acts as a releasing agent to prevent sticking and simplify cleaning. 
Soy Lecithin improves wetting properties of hydrophilic powders (such as low-fat proteins) and lipophilic powders (such as cocoa powder), controls dust, and helps complete dispersion in water.
Soy Lecithin keeps cocoa and cocoa butter in a candy bar from separating. 
Soy Lecithin can be used as a component of cooking sprays to prevent sticking and as a releasing agent.

Soy Lecithin is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for human consumption with the status "generally recognized as safe". Soy Lecithin is admitted by the EU as a food additive, designated as E322.

Dietary supplement:

Because it contains phosphatidylcholines, Soy Lecithin is a source of choline, an essential nutrient.

Clinical studies have shown benefit in acne, in improving liver function, and in lowering cholesterol, but older clinical studies in dementia and dyskinesias had found no benefit.

An earlier study using a small sample (20 men divided in 3 groups) did not detect statistically significant short term (2–4 weeks) effects on cholesterol in hyperlipidemic men.

La Leche League recommends its use to prevent blocked or plugged milk ducts which can lead to mastitis in breastfeeding women.

Egg-derived lecithin is not usually a concern for those allergic to eggs since commercially available egg lecithin is highly purified and devoid of allergy-causing egg proteins.

Similarly, soy lecithin does not contain enough allergenic proteins for most people allergic to soy, although the US FDA only exempts a few soy lecithin products from its mandatory allergenic source labeling requirements.

Religious restrictions:

Soy-derived lecithin is considered by some to be kitniyot and prohibited on Passover for Ashkenazi Jews when many grain-based foods are forbidden, but not at other times. 
This does not necessarily affect Sephardi Jews, who do not have the same restrictions on rice and kitniyot during Passover.

Muslims are not forbidden to eat lecithin per se; however, since it may be derived from animal as well as plant sources, care must be taken to ensure this source is halal. 
Soy Lecithin derived from plants and egg yolks is permissible, as is that derived from animals slaughtered according to the rules of dhabihah.

Research suggests soy-derived lecithin has significant effects on lowering serum cholesterol and triglycerides, while increasing HDL ("good cholesterol") levels in the blood of rats. 
However, a growing body of evidence indicates Soy Lecithin is converted by gut bacteria into trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which is absorbed by the gut and may with time contribute to atherosclerosis and heart attacks.

There is also some preliminary evidence suggesting that excessive consumption of Soy Lecithin, either via foodstuffs or supplements, may promote depression in sensitive individuals.

Soy lecithin is one of those ingredients often seen but seldom understood. 
Unfortunately, it’s also a food ingredient that’s difficult to find unbiased, scientifically backed data on.

Soy Lecithin is a food additive that comes from several sources — one of them being soy. 
Soy Lecithin’s generally used as an emulsifier, or lubricant, when added to food, but also has uses as an antioxidant and flavor protector.

Like many food additives, soy lecithin isn’t without controversy.

Many people believe it carries potential health dangers. However, few, if any, of these claims are backed by concrete evidence.

Soy lecithin is found in dietary supplements, ice cream and dairy products, infant formulas, breads, margarine, and other convenience foods. 
In other words, you’re probably already consuming soy lecithin, whether you realize it or not.

The good news is that it’s usually included in such small amounts, it isn’t something to be too concerned about.

Although soy lecithin is derived from soy, most of the allergens are removed in the manufacturing process.

According to the University of Nebraska, most allergists don’t caution people who are allergic to soy against soy lecithin consumption because the risk of reaction is so small.

Still, some people with extreme soy allergies may react to it, so those who are highly sensitive are cautioned against it.

Soy lecithin is a generally safe food additive. Because it’s present in such small amounts in food, it’s unlikely to be harmful. 
Though evidence supporting soy lecithin as a supplement is somewhat limited, the evidence backing choline could steer people toward this food additive in supplement form.

Some people are concerned about the use of soy lecithin because it’s made from genetically modified soy. 
If this is a concern for you, look for organic products, as they must be made with organic soy lecithin.

Also, while the Soy Lecithin in soy is natural, a chemical solvent that’s used to extract the Soy Lecithin is a concern for some.

Soy lecithin is a fatty substance derived from soybeans. This means that it will cause an allergic reaction in those who are allergic to soy.

Soy lecithin is used to prevent separation in foods, as well as increase shelf life.

The FDA has determined that there are no known health risks to consuming soy lecithin; and this is true, for pure soy lecithin. 
However, soy lecithin in the food industry today is commonly processed with a toxin known as Hexane. 
Additionally, soy lecithin has been connected to several health issues including diarrhea, nausea, excessive weight gain, confusion, and blurred vision.

Soy Lecithin is an emulsifier and the most common food additive in the United States.

Soy Lecithin, also known as lecithin, is a natural emulsifier and stabilizer. Soy Lecithin comes from fatty substances found in plant and animal tissues.

Molecular Weight 758.1 g/mol    
Hydrogen Bond Donor Count 0    
Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Count 8    
Rotatable Bond Count 40    
Exact Mass 757.562156 g/mol    
Monoisotopic Mass 757.562156 g/mol    
Topological Polar Surface Area    111 Ų    
Heavy Atom Count 52    
Formal Charge 0    
Complexity 941    
Isotope Atom Count 0    
Defined Atom Stereocenter Count    1    
Undefined Atom Stereocenter Count 0    
Defined Bond Stereocenter Count    2    
Undefined Bond Stereocenter Count 0    
Covalently-Bonded Unit Count 1    
Compound Is Canonicalized Yes

Uses
Soy Lecithin, or lecithin, is commonly used to hold emulsions together.
Soy Lecithin is a very common ingredient in packaged foods because it is such a great emulsifier and stabilizer.
Soy Lecithin’s also the main reason egg yolks work so well to stabilize mayonnaise, aiolis, and sauces like Hollandaise.
In modernist cooking it is often used to hold vinaigrettes together, create light foams and airs, and add elasticity and moisture tolerance to doughs

Benefits
Protects cells: Soy Lecithin is a necessary component of every cell in the human body. 
Considered a keystone in the construction of cells, Soy Lecithin prevents the hardening of cell membranes. 
Healthy cells lead to a healthier body, and the membranes are a critical part in monitoring a cell’s intake and output. 
Protecting cells is integral in maintaining a body’s resistance to many diseases that attack damaged cells. 
Phospholipids such as Soy Lecithin are produced in certain amounts throughout the major organs of the body (such as the heart, liver and kidney) but can be supplemented to further enhance unrealized benefits.
Helps repair liver and protects arteries: In addition to the cardiovascular benefits of Soy Lecithin, there are indications that Soy Lecithin helps to restore livers that have been damaged as well as working with neurological functions such as memory to improve the brain’s effectiveness. 
Since Soy Lecithin is essentially composed of fat, it can act as a protective wall or sheath throughout the body to protect and strengthen membranes and prevent detrimental debris from sticking. 
Internal parts and mechanisms that may be affected negatively by hardening, such as arteries, are kept malleable by Soy Lecithin in a natural way through supplementation. 
Patients suffering from atherosclerosis often start a regimen of Soy Lecithin in an effort to reverse the condition’s effects.
Aids memory: Soy Lecithin has shown, in addition to the heart, circulatory and metabolic benefits, a tendency to aid the brain in memory and learning. 
Studies conducted on the effects of Soy Lecithin on the brain lean towards a conclusion that users of the supplement are likely to experience increased memory and ability to recall specific information. 
The benefits of Soy Lecithin on the brain are promising to patients who may be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other memory-specific neurological conditions. 
Improved memory and recall is a sign of a brain’s overall standard of health, and may imply benefits that extend to orientation and cognitive thought processes.
Cautions

Soy Lecithin is any of a group of yellow-brownish fatty substances occurring in animal and plant tissues, and in egg yolk, composed of phosphoric acid, choline, fatty acids, glycerol, glycolipids, triglycerides, and phospholipids (e.g., phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylinositol). 
However, Soy Lecithin is sometimes used as a synonym for pure phosphatidylcholine, a phospholipid that is the major component of its phosphatide fraction. 
Soy Lecithin may be isolated either from egg yolk (in Greek lekithos—λέκιθος) or from soy beans, from which it is extracted chemically (using hexane) or mechanically.

Soy Lecithin has low solubility in water. 
In aqueous solution its phospholipids can form either liposomes, bilayer sheets, micelles, or lamellar structures, depending on hydration and temperature.
This results in a type of surfactant that is usually classified as amphoteric.

Soy Lecithin is sold as a food supplement and for medical uses. 
In cooking, it is sometimes used as an emulsifier.

Soy Lecithin is regarded as a well-tolerated and non-toxic surfactant. 
Soy Lecithin is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for human consumption with the status "Generally Recognized As Safe." Soy Lecithin is an integral part of cell membranes, and can be totally metabolized, so it is virtually non-toxic to humans. 
Other emulsifiers can only be excreted via the kidneys.

Soy Lecithin is used commercially in substances requiring a natural emulsifier and/or lubricant, from pharmaceuticals to protective coverings. For example, Soy Lecithin is the emulsifier that keeps cocoa and cocoa butter in a candy bar from separating.

There are studies that show soy-derived Soy Lecithin has significant effects on lowering cholesterol and triglyceride, while increasing HDL ("good cholesterol") levels in the blood.

Commercial Soy Lecithin, as used by food manufacturers, is a mixture of phospholipids in oil. 
The Soy Lecithin is obtained by degumming the extracted oil of the seeds. The Soy Lecithin is a mixture of various phospholipids, and the composition depends on the origin of the Soy Lecithin. 
A major source of Soy Lecithin is soybean oil. 
Because of the EU-requirement to declare additions of allergens in foods, in addition to regulations regarding Genetically Modified Crops, a gradual shift to other sources of Soy Lecithin(e.g., sunflower oil) is taking place.

The main phospholipids in Soy Lecithin from soya and sunflower are phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl inositol, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, and phosphatidic acid. 
They are often abbreviated to PC, PI, PE, and PA, respectively. 
To modify the performance of Soy Lecithin, i.e., to make it suitable for the product to which it is added, it may be hydrolysed enzymatically. 
In hydrolysed Soy Lecithins, a portion of the phospholipids have one fatty acid removed by phospholipase. Such phospholipids are called lyso-phospholipids. 
The most commonly-used phospholipase is phospholipase A2, which removes the fatty acid at the sn-2 position.

In margarines, especially those containing high levels of fat (>75%), Soy Lecithin is added as an 'anti-spattering' agent for shallow frying. 
Soy Lecithin is admitted by the EU as a food additive, designated by E number E322.

Soy Lecithins may also be modified by a process called fractionation. 
During this process, Soy Lecithin is mixed with an alcohol, usually ethanol. 
Some phospholipids have a good solubility in ethanol (e.g., phosphatidylcholine), whereas most other phospholipids do not dissolve well in ethanol. 
The ethanol is separated from the Soy Lecithin sludge, after which the ethanol is removed by evaporation, to obtain a phosphatidylcholine-enriched Soy Lecithin fraction.

hus far, the only proven benefit and suggested use is for those taking niacin to treat high cholesterol. 
Niacin treatment can deplete choline, necessitating an increased amount of Soy Lecithin or choline in the diet.

Egg-derived Soy Lecithin may be a concern for those following some specialized diets. 
Egg lecithin is not a concern for those on low-cholesterol diets, but, if not purified before being used as a food ingredient, it could significantly raise the overall cholesterol content of the food.

Soy Lecithin is a generic term to designate any group of yellow-brownish fatty substances occurring in animal and plant tissues composed of phosphoric acid, choline, fatty acids, glycerol, glycolipids, triglycerides, and phospholipids (e.g., phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylinositol).

Culinary Uses
The nontoxicity of Soy Lecithin leads to its use with food, as an additive or in food preparation. 
Soy Lecithin is used commercially in foods requiring a natural emulsifier or lubricant. 
In confectionery, it reduces viscosity, replaces more expensive ingredients, controls sugar crystallization and the flow properties of chocolate, helps in the homogeneous mixing of ingredients, improves shelf life for some products, and can be used as a coating. 
In emulsions and fat spreads, it stabilizes emulsions, reduces spattering during frying, improves texture of spreads and flavour release. 
In doughs and bakery, it reduces fat and egg requirements, helps even distribution of ingredients in dough, stabilizes fermentation, increases volume, protects yeast cells in dough when frozen, and acts as a releasing agent to prevent sticking and simplify cleaning. 
Soy Lecithin improves wetting properties of hydrophilic powders (e.g., low-fat proteins) and lipophilic powders (e.g., cocoa powder), controls dust, and helps complete dispersion in water. 
Soy Lecithin keeps cocoa and cocoa butter in a candy bar from separating. Soy Lecithin can be used as a component of cooking sprays to prevent sticking and as a releasing agent. 
In margarines, especially those containing high levels of fat (>75%), Soy Lecithin is added as an 'antispattering' agent for shallow frying.

Storage
At least 24 months

Safety
Soy Lecithin is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for human consumption with the status "generally recognized as safe". 
Soy Lecithin is admitted by the EU as a food additive, designated as E322. 
Research studies show soy-derived Soy Lecithin has significant effects on lowering serum cholesterol and triglycerides, while increasing HDL ("good cholesterol") levels in the blood of rats.

Used In:
Smooth and Creamy American-Pistachio Butter
Dark Matter
Roasted Cocoa Ganache
Oyster Mayo
Starburst-Style Chewy Candy
Japanese (Kewpie-Style) Mayo

Often Used With:
Water
Glucose syrup
Salt
MSG

Soy Lecithin is a phosphatidylcholine 34:2 in which the 1- and 2-acyl groups are specified as hexadecanoyl (palmitoyl) and 9Z,12Z-octadecadienoyl (linoleoyl) respectively. 
Soy Lecithin is a phosphatidylcholine 34:2 and a 1-acyl-2-linoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine betaine.

Use and Manufacturing
Household & Commercial/Institutional Products
Information on 117 consumer products that contain Lecithin in the following categories is provided:

• Auto Products
• Home Maintenance
• Inside the Home
• Personal Care
• Pesticides
• Pet Care

Edible and digestible surfactant and emulsifier of natural origin. 
Used in margarine, chocolate and in the food industry in general.
In pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. 
Many other industrial uses, e.g., treating leather and textiles.

MULSIFIER
ANTIOXIDANT IN FOODS
COSMETICS; EMOLLIENT
PENETRATING AGENT IN COSMETICS
THERAPEUTIC AGENT IN PHARMACEUTICALS
DISPERSANT IN PAINTS
PRINTING INKS
ANTIOXIDAN
DISPERSANT IN PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
FAT LIQUORING AGENT IN LEATHER MFR

Emulsifying, dispersing, wetting, penetrating agent, and antioxidant; in margarine, mayonnaise, chocolate and candies, baked goods, animal feeds, paints, petroleum industry (drilling, leaded gasoline), printing ink, soaps and cosmetics, mold release for plastics, blending agent in oils and resins, rubber processing, lubricant for textile fibers.

Industry Uses
Fillers

General Manufacturing Information
Industry Processing Sectors
Textiles, apparel, and leather manufacturing

The lecithins are mixtures of diglycerides of fatty acids linked to the choline ester of phosphoric acid. 
The lecithins are classed as phosphoglycerides or phosphatides (phospholipids).

The plural term lecithins refers to emulsifying agents, such as soybean preparations (soy lecithin contains 18-20% phosphatidylcholine).

Commercial grades of natural lecithin are reported to contain a potent vasodepressor substance.

Commercial lecithin is a mixture of acetone-insoluble phosphatides. FCC /Food Chemicals Codex/ specifies not less than 50% acetone-insoluble matter (phosphatides).

IDENTIFICATION AND USE: 
Lecithins forms a waxy mass when the acid value is about 20; pourable, thick fluid when the acid value is around 30. 
It is an edible and digestible surfactant and emulsifier of natural origin. 
Used in margarine, chocolate and in the food industry in general. 
In addition, it is used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. 
It has many other industrial uses, including treating leather and textiles. 
It is also used as experimental medication. 

Description    
Food-grade lecithin is obtained from soybeans and other plant sources. 
It is a complex mixture of acetone-insoluble phosphatides that consists chiefly of phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl etha nolamine, and phosphatidyl inositol, combined with various amounts of other substances such as triglycerides, fatty acids, and carbohydrates. 
Refined grades of lecithin may contain any of these components in varying proportions and combinations depending on the type of fractionation used. 
In its oil-free form, the prepon-derance of triglycerides and fatty acids is removed and the product contains 90% or more of phosphatides representing all or certain fractions of the total phosphatide complex. 
The consistency of both natural grades and refined grades of lecithin may vary from plastic to fluid, depending upon free fatty acid and oil content, and upon the presence or absence of other diluents. 
Its color varies from light yellow to brown, depending on the source, on crop variations, and on whether it is bleached or unbleached. 
It is odorless or has a characteristic, slight nutlike odor and a bland taste. 
Edible diluents, such as cocoa butter and vegetable oils, often replace soybean oil to improve functional and flavor characteris tics. 
Lecithin is only partially soluble in water, but it readily hydrates to form emulsions. 
The oil-free phosphatides are soluble in fatty acids, but are practically insoluble in fixed oils. 
When all phosphatide fractions are present, lecithin is partially soluble in alcohol and practically insoluble in acetone.

Chemical Properties    
Lecithins vary greatly in their physical form, from viscous semiliquids to powders, depending upon the free fatty acid content. 
They may also vary in color from brown to light yellow, depending upon whether they are bleached or unbleached or on the degree of purity. When they are exposed to air, rapid oxidation occurs, also resulting in a dark yellow or brown color.
Lecithins have practically no odor. 
Those derived from vegetable sources have a bland or nutlike taste, similar to that of soybean oil.

Occurrence    
Lecithin is found in foods such as eggs, beef liver, and peanuts. Commercial sources are available

Uses    
Edible and digestible surfactant and emulsifier of natural origin. Used in margarine, chocolate and in the food industry in general. In pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. 
Many other industrial uses, e.g. treating leather and textiles.
lecithin (hydrogenated) is an emulsifier.
lecithin is a natural emollient, emulsifier, anti-oxidant, and spreading agent, lecithin is a hydrophilic ingredient that attracts water and acts as a moisturizer. 
generally obtained for cosmetic products from eggs and soybeans, it is found in all living organisms.
egg lecithin is emollient and particularly recommended for sensitive skin.
Lecithin is an emulsifier that is a mixture of phosphatides which are typically surface-active. 
it is now commercially obtained from soy- beans; previously it was obtained from egg yolk. 
it is used in marga- rine as an emulsifier and antispatter agent; 
in chocolate manufacture it controls flow properties by reducing viscosity and reducing the cocoa butter content from 3 to 5%; 
it is used as a wetting agent in cocoa powder, fillings, and beverage powders; 
an antisticking agent in griddling fat; and in baked goods to assist the shortening mix with other dough ingredients and to stabilize air cells.
Tpical usage levels range from 0.1 to 1.0%.

Production Methods    

Lecithins are essential components of cell membranes and, in principle, may be obtained from a wide variety of living matter. 
In practice, however, lecithins are usually obtained from vegetable products such as soybean, peanut, cottonseed, sunflower, rapeseed, corn, or groundnut oils. 
Soybean lecithin is the most commercially important vegetable lecithin. Lecithin obtained from eggs is also commercially important and was the first lecithin to be discovered.
Vegetable lecithins are obtained as a by-product in the vegetable oil refining process. 
Polar lipids are extracted with hexane and, after removal of the solvent, a crude vegetable oil is obtained. 
Lecithin is then removed from the crude oil by water extraction. 
Following drying, the lecithin may be further purified.
With egg lecithin, a different manufacturing process must be used since the lecithin in egg yolks is more tightly bound to proteins than in vegetable sources. 
Egg lecithin is thus obtained by solvent extraction from liquid egg yolks using acetone or from freeze-dried egg yolks using ethanol (95%).
Synthetic lecithins may also be produced.

Pharmaceutical Applications    
Lecithins are used in a wide variety of pharmaceutical applications. They are also used in cosmetics and food products.
Lecithins are mainly used in pharmaceutical products as dispersing, emulsifying, and stabilizing agents, and are included in intramuscular and intravenous injections, parenteral nutrition formulations, and topical products such as creams and ointments.
Lecithins are also used in suppository bases, to reduce the brittleness of suppositories, and have been investigated for their absorption-enhancing properties in an intranasal insulin formulation. 
Lecithins are also commonly used as a component of enteral and parenteral nutrition formulations.
There is evidence that phosphatidylcholine (a major component of lecithin) is important as a nutritional supplement to fetal and infant development. 
Furthermore, choline is a required component of FDA-approved infant formulas. 
Other studies have indicated that lecithin can protect against alcohol cirrhosis of the liver, lower serum cholesterol levels, and improve mental and physical performance.
Liposomes in which lecithin is included as a component of the bilayer have been used to encapsulate drug substances; their potential as novel delivery systems has been investigated. 
This application generally requires purified lecithins combined in specific proportions.
Therapeutically, lecithin and derivatives have been used as a pulmonary surfactant in the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

IUPAC NAMES: 

[(2R)-2,3-di(tetradecanoyloxy)propyl] 2-(trimethylazaniumyl)ethyl phosphate
l-a-phosphatidylcholine type XVI-E
LECITHIN
Lecithin
lecithin
Lecithins
lecithins
Lecithins, fluid
Polyglycerides Lecithin
sojový lecitin

SYNONYMS:
l-α-phosphatidylcholine solution
l-α-phosphatidylcholine, hydrogenated
LECITHIN GRANULAR G2C (EPIKURON 100G2C)
LECITHIN POWDER
LECITHIN,ENZYME-MODIFIED
LECITHIN,GRANULAR,FCC
LECITHIN,GRANULAR,NF
PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE(LECITHIN)(RG)
LIPOID(R)E80
LECITHIN,PARTIALLYHYDROLYZED
phosphateidylserine
Lecithin (derivation unspecified)
L-alpha-Phosphatidyl choline
LECITHIN FROM SOYBEAN (30 %)
LECITHINE FROM CHICKEN EGG
L-á-Phosphatidylcholine (from soyabean)
LECITHIN LIQUID
Lecithin from egg
Lecithin from soyabean 30%
Soye lectithin
1,2-Diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, 3-sn-Phosphatidylcholine, L-α-Lecithin, Azolectin
1,2-Diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, L-α-Lecithin
1,2-Diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, 3-sn-Phosphatidylcholine, L-α-Lecithin
3-sn-phosphatidyl choline from egg yolk
granulestin
kelecin
L-α-lecithin from egg yolk
Alcolec-S
Phospholutein
L-α-Phosphatidylcholine,froM egg yolk
L-α-Phosphatidylcholine,froM soybean
Lecithin High Potency
L-α-Phosphatidylcholine, froM Glycine Max (soybean)
Phosphatidyl choine
Polyene phosphaidyl choline
highly purified egg yolk lecithin
Lecithin,S-PC
L-alpha-Phosphatidylcholine Vetec(TM) reagent grade
L-α-Lecithin, Egg Yolk, Highly Purified
L-ALPHA-PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE FROM DRI
L-ALPHA-PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE, HYDROGE
L-A-PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE FROM E&
L-A-PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE FROM SOYBEAN
L-A-PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE TYPE II-S*FR
L-A-PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE TYPE IV-S*FR
L-A-PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE TYPE XI-E*FR
L-A-PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE TYPE XVI-E F
L-α-Lecithin, Egg Yolk, Highly Purified - CAS 8002-43-5 - Calbiochem
L-α-Lecithin, Soybean - CAS 8002-43-5 - Calbiochem
Soybean phospholipids
Polyphosphatidyl Choline
Soy Lecithin or Lecithin High Potency
food additives Soya Lecithin
Lecithin, from soybean,>98%
Lecithin, Reagent Grade
Phosphatidyl cholines,PC
LECITHIN SOYBEAN
LECITHIN (EX SOYBEANS)