Rapeseed lecithin removal

Cmde oils generally contain phospholipids that are removed during the degum-ming stage of refining as a crude mixture (lecithin). This valuable product is the basis of the phospholipid industry, and phospholipids are used extensively in food products, in animal feeds, and in industrial processes. The major members are phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, and phosphatidylinositols and are accompanied by smaller proportions of other phospholipids. Soybean oil (3.2%), rapeseed oil (2.5%), and sunflower seed oil (1.5%) contain the proportions of total phospholipids indicated in parentheses and are the main sources of commercial lecithins, especially soya lecithin. Palm oil contains little or no phospholipids (7-9). 

From a commercial point of view, soybean is the most important source for lecithin however, lecithin production from sunflower (180) and rapeseed (181-183) wet gum has also been successful. Wet gum is removed during the first refining step of crude oil that is the degumming process. Traditionally, crude oil obtained from solvent-extraction process is agitated with 1-3% water at elevated temperatures (70-80°C). Under these conditions, phosphohpids and glycohpids start to swell and become insoluble in the oil. The hydrated mass is removed via centrifugation, and the dehydration is carried out under vacuum until the residual moisture is below 1%. 

Lecithin and cephalin are common phosphatides found in edible oils. Soybean, canola/rapeseed, com, and cottonseed are the major oils that contain significant quantities of phosphatides. Alkaline treatment used for FFA reduction is also capable of removing most... 

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