Components of “soybean lecithin”

Abstract

Summary The acetone‐insoluble material from soybean “lecithin” has been fractionated by submitting alcohol‐soluble and alcohol‐insoluble portions to countercurrent distribution between hexane and methanol. The alcohol‐soluble portion was found to contain lecithin, cephalin, and sugars or glycosides; the alcohol‐insoluble portion was separated into two major inositol‐containing phosphatides and sugars or glycosides. While the commonly accepted value of 30–35% for lecithin in the phosphatides was confirmed, it appears that the accepted value of 65% of cephalin needs revision. The approximate composition for one sample of soybean phosphatides is estimated to be 29% lecithin, 31% cephalin, and 40% inositol‐phosphatides.