Lecithin is a generic term to designate any group of yellow-brownish fatty substances occurring in animal and plant tissues, which are amphiphilic – they attract both water and fatty substances (and so are both hydrophilic and lipophilic), and are used for smoothing food textures, dissolving powders (emulsifying), homogenizing liquid mixtures, and repelling sticking materials. They also provide texture to many foods and increase their shelf life. Lecithin has the ability to bind water and fat sources, making it a great additive to many desserts, chocolates, salad dressings, meats, and cooking oils.
The global lecithin market is expected to register a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecasted period. Lecithin is used in the food industry for smoothing food textures, dissolving powders, homogenizing liquid mixtures, and repelling sticking materials.
The global lecithin market is segmented by source type into - egg, soy, sunflower, and others. Soy comprises the largest category with easy availability and consumers perceiving soy based foods as healthier. Sunflower based lecithin is also gaining popularity with plant and seed based lecithin being the fastest growing segment.