Sunflower Lecithin Permitted in Japan

Cargill (Mechelen, Belgium) says its sunflower lecithin is now approved for use in Japan. Perhaps surprisingly, Cargill’s ingredient is also the first sunflower lecithin approved for Japanese consumption.

It’s a wonder as to why Japan waited so long to approve sunflower lecithin for food use, but Cargill says it worked with Japan’s government on this application for three years.
Now, local manufacturers can use Cargill’s Topcithin sunflower lecithin as an alternative to soy lecithin, and international manufacturers of sunflower lecithin products can consider Japan a new market.

Topcithin is sourced from sunflower crops and, as of now, Cargill says commercial sunflower crops do not exist in GMO form. The ingredient is approved as food additive E322.