What Makes Lecithin a Good Emulsifier
Even though the industry is making amends to normalise additive-free ways, lecithin hasn’t lost value as the most widely used additive in the food and cosmetic industry. It’s mainly used for the emulsification and blending of materials and ingredients.
Lecithin holds multiple properties that make it such a good emulsifier. Let’s deep dive and understand each of them.
Structure of Lecithin
Lecithin holds a molecular structure that’s ideal and effective for mixing insoluble ingredients like water and oil. Phospholipids, the main component of lecithin, is both hydrophilic and hydrophobic. That’s why it has the ability to interact with both oil and water at the same time.
When an emulsifier, such as lecithin, is introduced into a system, it helps maintain a stable emulsion between two unmixable materials by lowering the surface tension between them. This allows them to mix and form a stable, heterogeneous dispersion.
Understanding Emulsification
No matter how efficient and well water and oil are mixed, they will eventually get separated. Over time the oil droplets, form a thick layer on the surface of the water. Since both are opposite compounds, they repel each other.
But if oil droplets are coated with another compound to help keep their molecules from dispersing it's called emulsification. A common example of this is the stable texture of mayonnaise. The substance that makes the emulsification of oil and water possible is usually lecithin. There are, however, other emulsifiers available in the market as well.
Surfactant activity
Emulsifiers function similarly to a layer of soapy water. When you mix oil and water and add an emulsification agent, the emulsifier rushes to the oil droplets to cover them. Surface active agents or surfactants are moisturizing ingredients that actively go straight to the surface of droplets. Once they are fully covered, oil is easily mixed in the water while surfactants increase the stability of the emulsion.
Foaming Agent
Lecithin is an amphoteric surfactant, which can react with either an acid or a base. It's great for turning juices and watery liquids into air and foams. Begin with a lecithin ratio of 0.6% to create a stable foam.
When a water-based liquid is whisked, the hydrophilic water molecules remain in contact with and held to the hydrophilic part of the lecithin molecule, leaving the hydrophobic part to surround and stabilise the whisked air bubbles.
Aeration
Lecithin is also used as an aeration agent in frozen deserts and ice creams due to its surfactant ability and hydrophobicity. Other food products, such as low-fat spreads, dressings, and sauces, may also be aerated for a variety of reasons, such as improving texture and/or visual appearance (e.g. by whitening or opacifying).
Fat Removal
With the growing popularity of low-fat bakery products, food formulators are faced with a new challenge: creating low-fat baked goods that retain the benefits of their full-fat counterparts. One solution is to use an emulsifier, such as Lecithin, which can help restore many of these desired properties
What makes Lecithin a Good Emulsifier?
Lecithin is one of the best emulsifiers because it produces a more stable and manageable emulsion when compared to other emulsification agents. Lecithin is used as an aerating agent, a lubricant and most important, an emulsifier. It also improves the texture of the final product, be it bread, creams, or any other goods it’s added to.
It’s also a common ingredient in confectionaries as it gives them a shiny texture without making them feel or taste oily and greasy. Ice cream manufacturers add lecithin to it so the ice cream lasts longer without becoming too soft or runny when kept for long periods.
Conclusion
Lecithin has already made its name in the food and cosmetic industry, specifically as the most sought-after emulsifier. It is a promising ingredient that is mostly acquired from natural and organic resources and can enhance the quality of any product it is added to, while also enhancing its shelf life.
If you are in the market for plant-based lecithin like soy lecithin or sunflower lecithin, LECITEIN can be of assistance. We are global suppliers of plant-based lecithin with some of the best supply chain partners.
For queries and concerns, feel free to reach out to us. We’ll answer all your queries within 48 hours.