Cargill receives clearance for use of sunflower lecithin in food in Japan

American agribusiness firm Cargill has received approval for the use of sunflower lecithin in food in Japan.

The Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has approved Cargill’s Topcithin sunflower lecithin, a clean label non-GM emulsifier made from oilseeds, making the product available for customers in Japan for the first time.

With this move, food companies worldwide can also export products containing Topcithin sunflower lecithin for sale in the growing Japanese market.

As sunflower seeds are not the leading cause of food allergy, Topcithin is not subject to allergen labelling requirements, unlike soy-derived varieties.

In order to fulfill the conditions set by the country’s food authorities, Cargill Texturizing Solutions commissioned studies from leading Japanese research company INA Research.

The company worked closely with the Japanese Government’s approval panels for three years, and the official approval of sunflower lecithin (E322) as a food additive was published on 10 April.

Cargill Texturizing lecithins business line manager Chris Hollebeck said: "Until now Japan was the only country where sunflower lecithin had not been approved for food use, so businesses in this market and those exporting to Japan were missing out on this natural and safe alternative to soy lecithin.

"We initiated and secured the approval from the Japanese food authorities, and are pleased that our customers in Japan can now benefit from our versatile, nature-derived and non-GM Topcithin sunflower lecithin."

Cargill’s Topcithin sunflower lecithin, which was first introduced in 2008, is derived from European sunflower crops and produced in fully backwards-integrated facilities to minimise risk of cross-contamination, traceable from field to fork.

The product, which is an emulsifier and wetting agent, is suitable for a variety of food applications, such as confectionery, particularly chocolate, bakery and convenience foods.

Cargill noted that Topcithin sunflower lecithin offers improved dispersibility properties compared to soy lecithin, and matches its functionality, taste and colour.

Additionally, it can replace synthetically produced emulsifiers, such as ammonium phosphatide and citric acid esters of mono and di-glycerides, without compromising on performance, taste or appearance.

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Image: Cargill’s Topcithin sunflower lecithin is suitable for a variety of food applications. Photo: courtesy of Cargill.