Lecithin reduces the internal friction between sugar crystals and cocoa particles, which enables producers to control the rheological (flow) properties of the chocolate mass. This in turn saves on cocoa butter usage and therefore production cost.

Here lecithin has two key functions: it enables the oil and water phases to mix homogeneously, but also is able to sequester water droplets during frying, which means it has an excellent anti-spattering effect.

Lecithin acts as a release agent thus preventing the sticking or burning-on in many food applications. Lecithin can have this remarkable effect either as an ingredient included in a recipe, or indeed when blended to bespoke concentrations with oil and sprayed directly onto tins, belts, pans or irons.

One market which certainly continues to grow is the convenience market. Amongst other factors this is driven by the demand for ease of storage, ease of use and longevity of product. Lecithin is used in many powdered product applications, which need to be reconstituted in water or milk before final use. Lecithin is key to the success of instantisation by improving the “wetting” ability of powders and helping to disperse hydrophilic and lipophilic powder components.

The list of lecithin’s uses in technical applications is almost endless, due to its lubricant, barrier and dispersal properties. Lecithin products are found in applications as diverse as paints, inks and leather tanning, to the release of tyres and concrete from production moulds, and for emulsifiers in oil-drilling applications.

Lecithin is also widely found in the feed, pharmaceutical, health and cosmetics’ industries.