Is Soy Lecithin Bad for You?

Lecithin is an emulsifier. The FDA's regulation, 21 CFR 184.1400, in the part covering substances affirmed as generally recognized as safe, describes commercial lecithin as a naturally occurring mixture of the phosphatides of choline, ethanolamine and inositol, isolated as a gum after hydration of solvent-extracted soy, safflower or corn oils, and says it is used in food with no limitation other than current good manufacturing practice.

The main question is allergy. The FDA lists soybeans among the major food allergens, alongside milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and sesame, and says the food source of a major food allergen must be declared at least once on the label, for example in parentheses after the ingredient name, as in lecithin (soy).

The FDA explains that under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, a major food allergen includes an ingredient that contains protein derived from one of those foods, but does not include a highly refined oil derived from them, an ingredient derived from such an oil, or an ingredient exempted through the law's petition process.