ABSTRACT

Phospholipids have a 50-year history of use as a nutrient, supplement, and food ingredient1. The major commercial source of phospholipids is called lecithin, a natural mixture of phospholipids2. Lecithin is a coproduct of soybean oil processing and consists of complex fat-like compounds obtained by water washing of crude vegetable oil. The hydrated phospholipids, called gums, are recovered as the dense phase, which is then dried to produce a shelf-stable product3. Phospholipids refer to the active components of the gums. About 75% of the gums are composed of phosphoruscontaining lipids. Other components are glycolipids, tocopherols, sterols, and sugars. This widely used source of phospholipids is also utilized in many formulated foods acting as an emulsifier. It is also used in cosmetics as a processing aid and stabilizing agent.