Lecithin

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Lecithin

Lecithin (/ˈlɛsɪθɪn/), from the Greek lekithos (yolk), 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, homogenizing liquid mixtures, and repelling sticking materials.

Etymology

The term "lecithin" was coined in 1847 by the French chemist and pharmacist Theodore Gobley, who named it after the Greek word lekithos for "egg yolk". Gobley originally isolated an egg yolk substance and identified it as the principal constituent of the egg yolk, and called it "phosphatidylcholine".

Related Terms

  • Phospholipids: A class of lipids that are a major component of all cell membranes as they can form lipid bilayers.
  • Choline: A water-soluble nutrient that is related to other vitamins such as those in the B vitamin complex.
  • Lipids: A group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins, monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, phospholipids, and others.
  • Hydrophilic: Having a tendency to mix with, dissolve in, or be wetted by water.
  • Lipophilic: Having an affinity for or an attraction to fat and oils (oil-loving).

See Also

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