With over 5,000 years of soybean cultivation, China is widely considered as the home of the oil crop. And as an important derivative of soybean, lecithin production also forms a significant percentage of China's industry.

Lecithin China is a phospholipid that is derived chiefly from soybean. It is comprised mainly of neutral and polar lipids, glycerol, a phosphate group, and choline. Although lecithin may also be extracted from egg yolk, majority of the commercial lecithin available in the market today come from soybean.

Lecithin China varies in color from light tan to dark reddish brown. In terms of consistency, it also varies from fluid to a plastic solid. During soybean processing, a thick gummy material is usually produced as a by product of the crude soybean oil. This gummy material is where you can find lecithin China.

How Lecithin China is Produced

Lecithin China is one of the most important derivatives of soybean processing. The crude soy oil contains an average of 1.8% hydratable compounds, primarily lecithin phosphatides. Through a process called "degumming," the sludge (the gummy material) is separated from the crude soy oil by the use of a centrifuge.

The result is a lecithin China and water emulsion containing 25-50% water, which may be bleached typically with hydrogen peroxide in order to reduce its color from brown or beige to light yellow. Some manufacturers add fluidizing additives such as soy oil, fatty acids, or calcium chloride to the product in order to reduce the viscosity to that of honey and prevent it, on cooling, from becoming a highly plastic solid. Lastly, the lecithin China product is film or batch dried to reduce the moisture to as little as 1%.

Functions

Since its discovery in the 1930s, lecithin China is ubiquitous in the processed food supply. As an emulsifier, it is often used in margarine, peanut butter, chocolate candies, ice cream, coffee creamers, and infant formulas. In addition, because of its keeping abilities, lecithin China also helps prevent product spoilage, extending shelf life in the marketplace.

Lecithin China is also handy around the industry kitchens where it is utilized in improving mixing and speed crystallization. As one of the few emulsifiers in the market considered by the US Food and Drug Administration as Generally Regarded As Safe for use, lecithin China is also used to prevent "weeping," stop spattering, and lumping and sticking during cooking.

Besides the commercial food industry, many industries also benefit from lecithin China. For instance, it is used in cosmetics as a product that could soften the skin and help other ingredients penetrate the skin barrier.

Health Benefits

Lecithin China has been used for many years as a treatment for a variety of illnesses. It has been said to remedy conditions, such as atherosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, liver cirrhosis, gall stones, psoriasis, eczema, scleroderma, anxiety, tremors and brain aging.

A leading purveyor of lecithin China since the 1920s, Dr. A. A. Horvath claims that the compound may be used as a "nerve tonic" or to help alcoholics reduce the effects of intoxication and withdrawal. There was also an article entitled "A Comfortable and Spontaneous Cure for the Opium Habit by Means of Lecithin" was written by Chinese researchers.