Monday 20 July 2015

Lecithin Market - Industry Overview and Key Factors

Lecithin also known as granulestin, vitellin, lecithol and kelecin occurs in a wide range of natural sources including vegetable and animal sources such as steak, beef liver, peanuts, eggs, oranges and cauliflower. A few commercial sources of lecithin comprise egg yolk, soybeans or the brain tissue. Lecithin is a yellowish - brown fatty substance and is composed of choline, phosphoric acid, glycerol, fatty acids and various phospholipids including phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. Lecithin is easily extracted chemically using ethanol, hexane, petroleum ether, acetone, benzene etc. or mechanically. Lecithin is a rich source of a wide range of dietary fats, however, the small amounts of lecithin used in food does not act as a source of fats. The commercial lecithin that is employed by food manufacturers is a mixture of phospholipids in oil.
Lecithin has lubricating and emulsifying properties; hence, it is used on a large scale as a surfactant in the detergent industry. In addition, lecithin is also employed in the food industry, pharmaceutical industry and the paint and coatings industry among others. Lecithin is commonly distributed as an herbal supplement and hence should be purchased from a dependable source in order to avoid the possibilities of contamination. In addition, lecithin is used in order to treat a wide range of diseases including high cholesterol, gallbladder diseases, liver problems etc.
The key drivers for the lecithin market are its use as a food additive and a surfactant. The key factor that propels the market growth for this product is the fact that it is considered eco friendly compared to other surfactants. Its mild and non-toxic properties make the products that use it very popular among customers globally. The Environment Canada Association after multiple testing of this ingredient conveys that the ingredient is non-persistent and non-accumulative in the environment hence making the product easily degradable. Lecithin is known to be non-toxic to humans, and hence is used largely as a food additive. Lecithin is used in the food industry in order to enhance the color, flavor, texture and shelf life of products. Although it has little or no nutritional value, major food manufacturers use lecithin. The growing food industry and the growth in the fast-food industry because of the “on-the go” lifestyle of the consumers especially in North America and Europe is likely to drive the lecithin market in the next few years. In addition, the increasing number of restaurants, cafes and eateries in the world coupled with the changing lifestyle of the people is likely to drive the lecithin market during the forecast period.
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The major market segments for lecithin include North America, Asia Pacific, Europe and Rest of the World (RoW). The largest market for lecithin is North America due to the products environment friendly nature, its market demand is increasing and this trend is expected to continue over the next few years. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing region foe lecithin due to the growing health awareness in the region coupled with the increasing growth in the food industry. The rising number of restaurants and eateries in the region especially in the emerging countries like India and China is anticipated to boost the market for lecithin during the forecast period.
Some of the key companies that manufacture lecithin include Verenium Corporation, Shire plc, Ultra Bio – Logics, Solvay SA and Roche Holdings among others.

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