Fractionation of crude soybean lecithin with aqueous ethanol

Abstract

Abstract Aqueous ethanol was used to fractionate soybean PC and PI, which have dissimilar solubilities in this solvent. The effects of oil and moisture contents of the crude lecithin, ethanol‐to‐lecithin ratio, and dispersion temperature on the efficiency of phospholipid (PL) fractionation were investigated. Yield, purity, recovery, and PL class composition were examined. Yield was defined as the amount of fractionated material, divided by the acetone‐insoluble (AI) matter in the starting material; purity was the percentage of PL (PC+PE+PI) as quantified by HPLC in the fraction; and recovery was the amount of PL quantified relative to the quantity of AI matter. Higher oil contents significantly increased the yield of the PC fraction, but they significantly decreased yield, purity, and recovery of the PI fraction. They also significantly affected the PL composition of the PC fraction. Higher moisture contents significantly decreased the yield but slightly increased the purity of PC fractions. Higher temperatures significantly increased the yield and recovery of the PC fraction. They also affected the relative proportion of PL classes in the PC and PI fractions. The ethanol‐to‐lecithin ratio significantly affected yield, purity, and recovery as well as the relative proportions of PL in both PC and PI fractions. A combination of multiple fractionation and high‐low temperature treatment was also examined. Fractionating twice with ethanol increased the purity of the PC fraction. High‐low temperature fractionation increased the purity and PC percentage in the PC fraction.