Citrus Pectin

1. The Birth of Pectin

As early as the 1820s, the French researcher Braeennot first extracted a substance from the fleshy roots of carrots, and mixed it evenly with water and a certain amount of soluble solids to form a gel, so he named the substance "Pectin".

2. Raw Material Sources of Pectin

Later, scientific researchers found that pectin substances in the form of protopectin, pectin, pectinic acid widely distributed in the plant kingdom, higher plants and lower plants contain, they exist in the middle layer of the neighbouring cell walls, play a role in connecting the cells and the role of natural barriers. In contrast, among roots, stems, leaves, fruits and other organs, pectin is most abundant in fruits, such as hawthorn, apple and tangerine. In addition, the fleshy roots of carrots, sunflower discs, mango pomace, sugar beet waste meal, silkworm sand, watermelon rinds, sweet potatoes, sea buckthorn, and so on, are also rich in pectin.

At present, the real pectin with industrial production value comes from citrus (including grapefruit, orange, rutabaga, grapefruit, lemon, tangerine, etc.) peel, apple juice residue, sugar beet residue, tofu firewood and silkworm sand, etc., of which the most valuable extraction of the first citrus peel. Sugar beet pectin was produced in the UK and Germany during the Second World War, but due to the presence of a large number of neutral sugar side chains, relatively low molecular weight and rich acetate esterification, it is considered to be of poor intrinsic quality in food additive applications. Commercial high-methoxyl pectin is mostly extracted from citrus fruit peels, and most commercially produced low-methoxyl pectin is extracted from naturally occurring high-methoxyl pectin, and then modified in various ways to produce pectins with different properties in terms of molecular weight and degree of esterification. There is also a small amount of pectin derived from sunflower and silkworm sand.

3. Pectin Extraction Methods

(1) Acid Extraction

(2) Microwave Extraction

(3) Enzymatic Extraction

(4) Ultrasonic Extraction

(5) Modified Pectin Extraction

4. Applications of Pectin

Pectin is a completely non-toxic, soluble dietary fibre with excellent gelation and emulsion stability. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) expert committees have communicated the rationale for not restricting the use of pectin as a food additive, and have concluded that pectin is a recognised and safe food additive.

Due to its good safety, excellent food processing properties and wide range of biological activities, pectin has been expanding its range of applications and has become one of the indispensable raw materials in the food, health care and cosmetic industries.

(1) The Original Application of Pectin - Food Additives

(2) The Latest Application of Pectin - Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Industry

① As a Pharmaceutical Excipient

Pectin is a hydrophilic emulsifier, gelling agent and thickener, can be used alone or in combination with other excipients to formulate ointment, film, suppository, microcapsules and other pharmaceutical preparations.

② In Clinic

Pectin has antibacterial, haemostatic, hypolipidemic, lead, anticancer, antialcoholic and other pharmacological effects, can be used alone or in combination with other drugs for the treatment of certain diseases.

③ In Cosmetics

Pectin's moisture absorption and moisturising properties can be used for the development of moisture absorption and moisturising cosmetics.