Two commercial fungal lipase preparations from Aspergillus niger and Penicillium cyclopium, two fungal phospholipases from A. niger (A(1) and A(2)) and one phospholipase from porcine pancreas (A(2), Lecitase) were compared in the hydrolysis of soybean phospholipids. The isoelectric points, pH and temperature optima and temperature stabilities of the phospholipases in these enzyme preparations were also determined. Lipase preparations which also contained phospholipase and lysophospholipase activities were more efficient than phospholipase preparations in the hydrolysis of soybean phospholipids. Phospholipase A, and lipase preparations released fatty acids from bath positions of the substrate molecule and as a result glyceryl-phosphoryl-choline was formed. Both the A, phospholipase preparations tested produced lysophospholipids through partial selective hydrolysis of phospholipids.