| 摘要 |
A hydrate of vegetable lecithin is produced in a fluid form by interacting the lecithin of a commercial lecithin-oil mixture with water in the presence of an alcohol preferably ethyl alcohol at a pH between 4,0 and 6,0, and preferably between 4,5 and 5,5. The preferred method of carrying out the invention is to homogenize a mixture of water, an alcohol, and a commercial lecithin-oil mixture at a temperature in the neighbourhood of 160 DEG F., allow the product to stand and then separate the lower layer of lecithin hydrate. The adjustment of the pH may be carried out either before or after the homogenizing operation, and is effected by the addition of an acid such as phosphoric acid, or a salt such as sodium acetate or sodium lactate according to the effect desired. Instead of a commercial lecithin-oil mixture, crude materials containing lecithin such as soya bean residues may be used. In such cases however it is necessary to destroy the cellular structure by working at a sufficiently high temperature, e.g. 160 DEG F. A sugar may be added to act as a preservative. The lecithin hydrate may be used without purification or it may be freed by evaporation from alcohol and unbound water. Lecithin hydrate produced by the process of this invention may be used as an emulsifier, wettingout agent, or penetrant. |
