Toluene is a colorless, water-insoluble liquid chemical compound with a smell similar to thinner. Toluene, an aromatic hydrocarbon, is also called methyl benzene. Toluene is a strong solvent for many organic substances and is not carcinogenic. It is therefore highly preferred in the industry as a solvent.

Turkish Food Codex issued by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock Methods of Analysis Methods of Purity Criteria of Food Additives (Communiqué no: 2001 / 46) describes the analysis methods that determine the suitability of additives used in food production to purity criteria. The annex to the Communiqué (Annex 2), which covers the purity criteria analysis methods of all food colorants, food preservatives and antioxidants, describes the method for the determination of toluene insoluble substances in lecithin (E322).

Lecithin is obtained from egg yolk or soybean. Commercially available high purity lecithin is used both as a food additive and in pharmaceutical production. Lecithin is non-toxic and can be tolerated by the body. It is mainly used as a mixer and thickener in the food industry. For example, it is preferred as an emulsifier in chocolates. It ensures that cocoa and cocoa butter are not separated. Lecithin is obtained predominantly from soybean, and more recently from sunflower.

Turkish Food Codex published by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock is among the food additives described in the annex of the Food Additives Regulation with the code of lecithin E322.

In authorized laboratories, determination of insoluble substance and lecithin in toluene is carried out within the scope of chemical food analysis. In these studies, standards and test methods published by domestic and foreign organizations are followed. The main standard in this regard is:

 

• TS EN ISO 11701 Vegetable fats and oils - Determination of phospholipid content in lecithins by HPLC method with light scattering detector