ARS | Publication request: Characterization of Pectin from Citrus sinensis (Sweet Orange) Juice

Submitted to: American Chemical Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 1, 2012
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Pectin is a structurally diverse polysaccharide synthesized in plants. Its core element is a backbone of a-(1,4)-galacturonic acid residues, which may be interspersed with rhamnose residues, esterified, and decorated with a variety of glycan chains. In citrus juice, pectin comprises the majority of the suspended cloud material that imparts desirable texture and flavor. We have extracted pectin from commercial Citrus sinensis juice concentrate and assessed its macromolecular properties, including soluble sugar composition by HPAEC-PAD (High Performance Anion Exchange Chromatography – Pulsed Amperometric Detection) and molecular weight and degree of methyl-esterification (DM) by MALLS-SEC-RI-C4D (Multi-Angle Laser Light Scattering – Size Exclusion Chromatography – differential Refractive Index-Capacitively Coupled Contactless Conductivity). The molecular weight of the pectin varied according to the enzymatic digestion method employed – from 1.5 x 106 Daltons for the parent material, to 1.4 x 103 Daltons when treated with Rapidase Adex-P. With an intact molecular weight in the millions of Daltons and a DM of 83.7%, the extracted pectin is markedly different from pectins extracted from other citrus sources.