Isolation and characterisation of pectin

Pectins are a family of chemically diverse biopolymers which are used extensively in the food and pharmaceutical industries as for example gelling/thickening agents, emulsifiers or excipients. Pectins are traditionally extracted from citrus peels and apple pomace, however pectins can be extracted from a much wider range of fruits and vegetables (e.g., melon, okra or pumpkin). In recent years there has also been interest in novel pectin extraction methods for example, microwave assisted extraction or enzyme assisted extraction. Finally, once pectins have been extracted there are a number of physico-chemical properties which are essential when characterising pectins including monosaccharide composition, degree of esterification and molecular weight. It is also important to note that these physico-chemical properties and ultimately any potential applications will depend on a number of variables: Pectin source including genetic variety, ripening stage and extraction techniques.