Soybean lecithin in water: shelf life and stability
What it found
In lab tests, soybean lecithin broken into tiny particles stayed stable for 3 months in water at 4°C, but at 25°C it only stayed stable for 60 days before becoming cloudy and clumping.
What they found
Fresh particle size
Freshly prepared water dispersions had lecithin particles of 79.8 ± 1.0 nm and peroxide levels of 3.5 ± 0.2 meq/kg lipid.
Stability at 4°C
After 3 months at 4°C, the dispersions stayed translucent, particle size changed only slightly to 84.1 ± 1.3 nm, and peroxides rose a little to 4.1 ± 0.2 meq/kg lipid.
Stability at 25°C
At 25°C, dispersions were physically stable for up to 60 days. After that, they became cloudy, particle size grew to 145.0 ± 1.7 nm, and the size distribution became bimodal.
Cause of breakdown
The breakdown at 25°C was due to phospholipid degradation and hydrolysis under acidic conditions, which happens faster at 25°C than at 4°C.
What the authors conclude
- They say the outcome may help in developing water-based dispersions carrying lecithin nanoparticles for dietary supplement of phospholipids.
How it was done
The authors wanted to make a water-based form of soybean lecithin that could be used in dietary supplements.
They made lecithin particles in water without solvents, first by hydrating lecithin powder with mechanical stirring, then using high-pressure microfluidization to shrink the particles. They stored the dispersions at 4°C and 25°C and checked physical and chemical stability every 15 days for 3 months.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is a lab study on making and storing lecithin particles in water. It does not show what happens when people take them.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- National Research Center, Egypt
The paper
- Title
- Formulation and shelf life stability of water-borne lecithin nanoparticles for potential application in dietary supplements field
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Edris AE (2012). Formulation and shelf life stability of water-borne lecithin nanoparticles for potential application in dietary supplements field. Journal of dietary supplements. doi:10.3109/19390211.2012.708717PubMed 22891991DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error