ABSTRACT
Lecithin has been described with several different definitions in the scientific literature, and there is a simple reason for these differences: the studies of phospholipids started in the early 1700s, but the sales of lecithin products only started in the 1930s. Leonard defines lecithin relatively simply. The various definitions all state that lecithin is a natural mixture of neutral and polar lipids, where the main compounds are PC, PE, phosphatidylserine, PI, phosphatidic acid and triglycerides. The ratio of different phospholipids depends on the source, so a phospholipid composition is typical of the source from which the lecithin was extracted. Triglycerides are compounds whose molecules include a glycerol backbone esterified with three fatty acids. Emulsifiers are surface-active substances with a hydrophilic and a lipophilic moiety. The larger number of small air bubbles increases the viscosity and provides creaminess in the mouthfeel.
