Current Advancements in Pectin: Extraction, Properties and Multifunctional Applications

Abstract

Pectin is a heterogeneous hydrocolloid present in the primary cell wall and middle lamella in all dicotyledonous plants, more commonly in the outer fruit coat or peel as compared to the inner matrix. Presently, citrus fruits and apple fruits are the main sources for commercial extraction of pectin, but ongoing research on pectin extraction from alternate fruit sources and fruit wastes from processing industries will be of great help in waste product reduction and enhancing the production of pectin. Pectin shows multifunctional applications including in the food industry, the health and pharmaceutical sector, and in packaging regimes. Pectin is commonly utilized in the food industry as an additive in foods such as jams, jellies, low calorie foods, stabilizing acidified milk products, thickener and emulsifier. Pectin is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry for the preparation of medicines that reduce blood cholesterol level and cure gastrointestinal disorders, as well as in cancer treatment. Pectin also finds use in numerous other industries, such as in the preparation of edible films and coatings, paper substitutes and foams. Due to these varied uses of pectin in different applications, there is a great necessity to explore other non-conventional sources or modify existing sources to obtain pectin with desired quality attributes to some extent by rational modifications of pectin with chemical and enzymatic treatments.

Impact of Apple Pomace Powder on the Bioactivity, and the Sensory and Textural Characteristics of Yogurt

“…Regarding the total dietary fiber content—including pectic substances—the addition of 0.4% of AP increased the dietary fiber content to 0.25%, while the addition of 1% of AP increased the dietary fiber content to 0.63%. It has been shown that, at a low pH (≤4.5), pectin is absorbed by electrostatic interactions on the surface of the casein micelle, in areas rich in carboxylic groups [ 57 ]. In addition, the formation of an established yogurt matrix occurs due to anionic interactions with calcium ions (Ca 2+ ), which promote the interpenetration of hydrated pectin chains in the protein network [ 58 ].…”

Advanced applications of sustainable and biological nano-polymers in agricultural production

“…Polysaccharides may be used either alone or in conjunction with other polymers to create NP. Plant waste materials such as wheat bran, wood pulp, corn stalks, and orange peels may be processed into several different polysaccharides including cellulose, lignins, xylans, and pectins (George and Sabapathi, 2015;Huang et al, 2017;Xiao et al, 2019;Chandel et al, 2022). Popular non-plant-derived nanomaterials include chitosan and alginate.…”

New Sources of Pectin: Extraction, Processing, and Industrial Applications

“…In pectins from citrus and apple, the acetyl groups in the HG region are present in low content, rather than in pectins from sugar beet and potato, where higher amounts have been found [13,14]. Amidation of pectins does not occur naturally; instead, it is induced chemically or enzymatically to improve the functional properties such as solubility in water, gelling, and rheological properties through modifying some non-esterified carboxyl groups into amide groups by using various amino compounds [15][16][17].…”

“…Pectin is widely used in the food industry as an excellent thickener agent for producing jellies and jams, a pH stabilizer in dairy products and low-calorie products, and an emulsifier in pharmaceutics for the design of drugs to treat gastrointestinal disorders, blood cholesterol reduction, and cancer treatment as well as good former of edible films and coatings, foams, and paper substitutes [17,24]. Because of the functional properties of pectins, both LM and HM, many applications in food, industrial, and pharmaceutic sectors can be considered (Figure 2).…”

“…Despite the presence of extensive contents of pectin polysaccharide in fruit subproducts, like citrus peels, apple pomace, or sugar beet pulp, it is not the most critical parameter to define a lucrative extraction and the best functional properties for this functional agent [17]; the exploration of novel sources of pectins is raising the attention of scientists and technologists.…”