| Abstract: | Functionality of lecithins. In industry the functional emulsifying power of soya lecithin has a great technical and commercial importance, while egg lecithin has taken an interesting market niche. The requirements on consistent emulsifying, stabilizing and nutritional properties can be achieved by adjustment of standard qualities and a range of lecithin modifications: Enzymatic hydrolysis, acetylation and hydroxylation give lecithins with increased hydrophilicity and subsequently improved oil-in-water emulsifying properties. Alcohol fractionation, sometimes combined with chromatographic isolation, divides crude lecithin in specific phospholipid fractions, yielding an optimal functionality in specific product applications. Oil free “pure” lecithins in powder and granular form are used because of convenient dosage, neutral taste and enhanced O/W emulsifying performance. Combinations of the processes give a vaste range of tailor made special lecithins with different hydrophilic-lipophilic balance properties in food, feed, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and technical industries. |
