lecithin

American  

[les-uh-thin] / ˈlɛs ə θɪn /

noun

1. Biochemistry. any of a group of phospholipids, occurring in animal and plant tissues and egg yolk, composed of units of choline, phosphoric acid, fatty acids, and glycerol.

2. a commercial form of this substance, obtained chiefly from soybeans, corn, and egg yolk, used in foods, cosmetics, and inks.

---

lecithin British  

/ ˈlɛsɪθɪn /

noun

1. Systematic name: phosphatidylcholine.  biochem any of a group of phospholipids that are found in many plant and animal tissues, esp egg yolk: used in making candles, cosmetics, and inks, and as an emulsifier and stabilizer in foods ( E322 )

---

lecithin Scientific  

/ lĕs′ə-thĭn /

1. A fatty substance present in most plant and animal tissues that is an important structural part of cell membranes, particularly in nervous tissue. It consists of a mixture of diglycerides of fatty acids (especially linoleic, palmitic, stearic, and oleic acid) linked to a phosphoric acid ester. Lecithin is used commercially in foods, cosmetics, paints, and plastics for its ability to form emulsions.

---

Etymology

Origin of lecithin

1860–65; < Greek lékith ( os ) egg yolk + -in ²

Example Sentences

Researchers consider the foods as those made with ingredients not normally found in a home kitchen, including high-fructose corn syrup and emulsifiers such as soy lecithin.

From The Wall Street Journal

The plant will have capacity to produce 320,000 metric tons per year of edible soybean oil and 7,500 metric tons of lecithin, it said.

From Reuters

Examples include gellan gum, locust bean gum, soy lecithin and, in the case of oat milk, vegetable oil.

From Washington Post

It identified lecithin, an emulsifier routinely used in making chocolates, as the source of the contamination.

From Seattle Times

Egg yolks do a particularly good job, due to a protein called lecithin, which has held together centuries of hollandaise sauces and countless aiolis.

From Salon