Soy Lecithin

Soy lecithin is an emulsifier extracted from soybean oil. In chocolate it is added in very small amounts, usually well under 1% of the recipe, to help cocoa, sugar and fat blend smoothly and to make melted chocolate flow more easily. On European labels it may appear as E322.

What it does in chocolate

Chocolate is mostly tiny solid particles of sugar and cocoa suspended in cocoa butter. Those particles create friction, making melted chocolate thick. Lecithin coats the particles and lets them slide past each other, so:

• the chocolate is more fluid for tempering, molding and enrobing;
• makers can reach the right texture with less added cocoa butter;
• ingredients stay evenly blended.

Is it vegan and gluten-free?

Soy lecithin comes from plants, so it is plant-based and suitable for vegans, and it does not contain gluten. Some makers use sunflower lecithin instead, often to avoid soy on the label, and some craft bars skip emulsifiers altogether.

Soy lecithin and allergies

Soy is one of the nine major food allergens in the US. Lecithin is a refined ingredient that contains only trace amounts of soy protein, and many people with soy allergy tolerate it, but US labeling rules still require soy to be declared. If you have a soy allergy, read the label and follow your own doctor's guidance.

What to look for with Polkadot

Polkadot's product descriptions do not list a full ingredient panel online, so if emulsifiers or soy matter to you, check the ingredient list on the packaging of your Polkadot chocolate bar before enjoying it. If you prefer to skip chocolate entirely, the Vegan Magic Gummies are a pectin-based, fruit-forward alternative. Questions about a specific product can go through our contact page.