“Behind the Bean” (pdf) - Cornucopia Institute

administration officials at the USDA did not step in to compel QAI and other certifiers to enforce the standards.
The only way to ensure that all organic foods contain organic lecithin is to remove lecithin as an approved conventional
substance on the National List. Clarkson Grain filed a petition with the USDA to remove soy lecithin, and the National
Organic Standards Board, at its May 2009 meeting, voted in favor of the petition. Unfortunately, due to corporate pressure,
the National Organic Standards Board voted to keep “de-oiled” (dry) lecithin on the list.
There are two types of lecithin, liquid and de-oiled. De-oiled lecithin is not yet available in organic form, because an organic
alternative to using the solvent acetone, in the de-oiling process, has not been developed.
Since acetone can be harmful to workers when inhaled, potentially leading to irritation, headache, blurred vision and narcosis,
100 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a maximum concentration limit in workplace air
of 1,000 ppm of air for an 8-hour workday over a 40-hour week to protect workers. 101 According to the Centers for Disease
Control, ingesting small amounts of acetone, such as through residues on food, is not harmful, but the effects of long-term
exposures have not been studied in people. 102 In animal studies, long-term exposure to acetone was linked to kidney, liver
and nerve damage, as well as increased birth defects. 103 Unlike hexane, acetone is not listed as a hazardous air pollutant
with the EPA. 104
It has been suggested that the choice to use de-oiled lecithin is one of convenience for the manufacturer; if a company is
truly committed to organic integrity, it can find a way to use liquid organic lecithin even in dry foods such as powdered
infant formula. In addition to being processed with acetone, the conventional “de-oiled” lecithin that will remain allowed
in organic food will be made with conventionally grown soybeans and extracted with the use of hexane.
Since this was the first time that the National Organic Standards Board considered a petition to remove a food ingredient
from the list, this 2009 vote set a precedent with regard to the NOSB’s willingness to remove ingredients from the National
List when organic alternatives become available. Their decision to keep de-oiled lecithin on the List, however, is disappointing
since it is hexane- and acetone-extracted and is chosen over the liquid form primarily as a matter of convenience
for food manufacturers.
Organic consumers expect foods that were produced in a more environmentally and socially responsible way—and realize
that this often means that farmers and food processors must sacrifice some convenience in the quest for producing food
sustainably. Moreover, organic consumers expect the green “USDA certified organic” label to reflect this commitment to an
alternative food production system where low cost is not the top priority. Keeping hexane- and acetone-extracted de-oiled
lecithin on the National List indicates a further erosion of the integrity of the national organic standards. The Cornucopia
Institute, and our allies, will continue to highlight concerns involving synthetic and nonorganic ingredients inappropriately
utilized in organic production.
Since organic soy lecithin is available but more expensive, checking an ingredients label for organic soy lecithin is a great
way to determine how committed a company is to organics. If a company uses organic soy lecithin, they are paying more, in
return for a more truly organic product. They show their commitment to organics and their support to the companies that
are pioneers in developing ingredients that are organic. Consumers should be aware of this issue so that they can support
these companies in the marketplace.
40 Behind the bean: The Heroes and Charlatans of the Natural and Organic Soy Foods Industry.