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

Abstract

One of the most important polysaccharides in the vegetal kingdom is pectin. This class of natural polysaccharide is found primarily in citrus fruits and apple pomace. Pectin has been used in different sectors of the industry, among which the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and paper industries stand out. Today, there is a growing demand for this type of hydrocolloid, where both the scientific and industrial fields have focused on using new sources of pectin and developing novel extraction methods. This chapter describes the chemical structure of pectin and its main chemical characteristics. Then, the conventional sources from which pectin is obtained are exposed as well as its main industrial applications. Subsequently, the physicochemical and functional properties of pectins obtained from unconventional sources are described and analyzed as well as the main technologies used for their extraction. Finally, the most recent advances in the role played by pectin in the industrial sector are described.

The Effect of Ultrasound Pretreatment on Pectin Extraction from Watermelon Rind Using Microwave-Assisted Extraction

“…WRP had a protein content in the range of 5.84 ± 0.47 to 8.57 ± 0.20%, which was higher than the pistachio green hull pectin (6.3%) or eggplant peel pectin (2.53%) [7]. FAO suggests that the protein content of pectin should not be higher than 15.6% [35]. Hence, the extracted pectin from MAE and MAUPE fulfils this requirement.…”

Green Fabrication Approach to Hydrogel Synthesis by Using Natural Polymers, their Characterization, and Applications

“…Its structure diversity is influenced by its basic structure, with the Degree of Methylation tool used. 10 Pectin, a plant-based polysaccharide found in fruits like sunflower heads, sugar-beet, and mango waste, serves various food industry purposes and is suitable for drug delivery. 10 Thermal hydrolysis of citrus peels, lemons, limes, apple pomace, and sugar-beet plum is used for pectin extraction, but high waste and energy consumption demand green technology.…”

Study of the Physical, Chemical, and Structural Properties of Low- and High-Methoxyl Pectin-Based Film Matrices Including Sunflower Waxes

“…For example, high-methoxyl pectin (HMP, DM ≥ 50%) forms gels under acidic conditions, while low-methoxyl pectin (LMP, DM < 50%) needs positive ions (Ca 2+ ). Pectin has found multiple applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries as a functional additive (drug delivery, cancer therapy, thickener, emulsifier and stabilizer, among others) as well as in edible films and coatings [7,8]. However, despite its use promoting the development of edible films as an environmentally friendly alternative, this polysaccharide continues to present mechanical and barrier deficiencies; therefore, it is frequently combined with hydrophobic substances such as waxes to improve barrier properties [7,8].…”

“…Pectin has found multiple applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries as a functional additive (drug delivery, cancer therapy, thickener, emulsifier and stabilizer, among others) as well as in edible films and coatings [7,8]. However, despite its use promoting the development of edible films as an environmentally friendly alternative, this polysaccharide continues to present mechanical and barrier deficiencies; therefore, it is frequently combined with hydrophobic substances such as waxes to improve barrier properties [7,8]. Moreover, valuable information has been collected about sunflower waxes recovered from the process of oil winterization, evaluating their incorporation as a reinforcement in food films [9][10][11]; therefore, there is growing research in the field of the continuous improvement of film-forming materials.…”