Quality of industrial pectin extracted from peach pomace at different pH and temperatures

Abstract

Two molecular characteristics of pectin related to good gelling properties of the polysaccharide are degree of esterification (DE) and length of molecular chain. Industrial pectin from peach pomace was extracted at different pH and temperatures. DE, acetyl content, intrinsic viscosity and molecular weight of the samples were analysed, and the effect of the extraction conditions on these parameters were studied. On the basis that high DE and intrinsic viscosity indicate good gelling pectin or good quality of pectin has chains with low acetyl content, all extracted samples were compared using a multicriteria method in order to find the best extraction conditions. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry