1 - Soybean Lecithin: Food, Industrial Uses, and Other Applications

Abstract

Lecithin has long been an important component of a myriad of both food and non-food products and is one of the most versatile and valuable byproducts of the oilseed industry. In foods, lecithin provides about a dozen functions, including as an emulsifier, as a wetting agent, for viscosity reduction, as release agents, and for crystallization control. Lecithin also provides functions in numerous industrial applications as well. By 1940, the U.S. lecithin industry was well established. The lecithin industry is a mature one, but several factors have affected it. Although historically soybean has been the major source of lecithin worldwide, others are being sought because of increased demands for non-Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) lecithin, including canola and sunflower. Although lecithin from GMO soybeans has been shown to be equivalent to non-GMO lines, the European market prefers non-GMO lecithin. Over the past few decades, lecithin has become more important as a neutraceutical and food supplement ingredient. Moreover, the discovery of liposomes has provided a new and more efficient means for drug delivery. This chapter reviews the lecithin industry, manufacture and properties of commercial products, their quality control and modification, and food and nonfood uses.