Abstract:
Lecithin is an important by-product of vegetable oil processing that has many functions in health,
food manufacturing and processing, industrial product development and pharmaceutical
formulation. The importation of lecithin to Nigeria for Industrial use may be reduced through
sourcing of lecithin from Nigerian varieties soybean which is an oil bearing crop. Following
careful selection of seeds, sorting and cleaning; oil was extracted from four varieties of Nigerian
varieties of soybean using soxhlet procedure. Lecithin was subsequently isolated from the
extracted oil through the process known as degumming. Fatty acid compositions of the isolated
lecithin varieties were also measured using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrophotometry
(GCMS). Percentage yield of lecithin isolated from the selected varieties of soybean namely:
TGX 1904-6F, TGX 1987-62F, TGX 1448-2E and TGX 1978-.10F are 2.71 %, 2.57 %, 2.28 %
and 2.07% respectively. Seven types of fatty acids; (Linoleic, arachidonic, oleic, recinoleic,
palmitoleic, stearic and linolenic acids) were detected in each of the isolated lecithin variety. The
ratio of unsaturation to saturation is 5:2. This study has provided detailed information from the
yield stand point and fatty acid components as a quality index of lecithin isolated from the
evaluated soybean varieties; such data is however desirable so as to channel each of the selected
soybean varieties to appropriate utilization and enhanced value addition necessary to improve the
soybean value chain in Nigeria. This study therefore concludes that quality lecithin may be
sourced from some Nigeria varieties of soybean to meet various industrial purposes. |
