Consumers have a wider range of options for healthy foods and dietary products, making healthy eating more convenient and affordable, increasing the number of products on the market that contain lecithin. The most popular form of lecithin is soy lecithin, which is used as a food additive and an emulsifier in a large number of healthy food products. According to Infiniti Research, the market for soy lecithin and other soy products will be worth approximately USD 17 billion by the end of 2019. The market for other types of lecithin is also expected to see an increase in value in the near future.

Lecithin refers to groups of certain fatty substances that occur naturally within plant and animal tissues. The most commonly used form of lecithin in food products currently is soy lecithin, which is derived from soybeans. Lecithin acts as an inexpensive and natural emulsifier that is added to keep products from separating. Soy lecithin is an ideal emulsifier additive due to its low price as well as the fact that most people with soy allergies will not be sensitive to it.

Healthy diets and healthy living have grown in popularity around the world in recent years. Health awareness campaigns and initiatives to combat obesity are largely responsible for this, especially in countries like the US and Canada. In the US, according to the CDC, more than one third of adults are obese; this makes the US the 12^th most obese nation in the world. Concerns about obesity and associated health conditions have led to a rise in the availability and promotion of healthy diets and lifestyles, and have increased the consumption of products containing soy lecithin and other forms of lecithin due to its health benefits and the fact that it is considered to be a natural additive.

Though soy lecithin can be found in a wide variety of different types of foods, its purpose is best served in health foods, including products like protein bars and natural peanut butter. Soy lecithin has a positive impact on a person’s overall health; it can aid in healthy and natural weight loss, lowers cholesterol, and can help improve brain and cognitive function. Soy lecithin and other types of lecithin are overall healthier than other types of additives and emulsifiers like carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate 80.

Due to the wide variety of food applications that lecithin has, as well as the number of different types of lecithin that are in use and available, market research is essential to determine what types of lecithin are popular in certain industries and with particular consumer and product bases, as well as the changing prices and health-related factors of food additives and products. Lecithin also has applications in paints and coatings and other non-food industries, so vendors and manufacturers must be up to date on the latest advancements in the use of lecithin in order to remain competitive and seize business opportunities.

Infiniti Research was recently tasked with assessing major market dynamics, supply and demand outlooks, and supplier profiles for lecithin specific to food and industrial applications for a world leading food, commodity, and agribusiness company. In 14 weeks the client saw clear benefits not only in terms of revenue impact but also in terms of the additional insights that were offered to help them understand the market space better and access to information that would help them identify lucrative market opportunities in the near future.

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