Nowadays, pectin is available at the commercial level, and its applications are no longer restricted to the production of preserves, jams and jellies. Uwe Berning reports.
The term apectin' is derived from the Greek word apektos' meaning something like asolid, rigid'. This translation alone would do as a description of what an application of this natural food ingredient can do for you. Even at the time of our grandparents, fruit used to be boiled and transformed into preserves of the condition we expect them to see in, namely in the shape of a firm gel.
Pectin is a sugar-acid derivative naturally present in the world around us. It belongs to a group of compounds described as pectin substances, and it is present in almost all green plants. Pectin essentially consists of 1.4-a-glycosidically bonded galacturonic acid units the acid groups of which occur at a degree of methylation ranging from 2080 per cent. Pectin has the structure of folded sheets and is thus in a middle position between the acompact' starch molecules and the 'stretched' cellulose molecules.
Citrico has specialised on the production of citrus pectin extracted from lemon peel. The company has its own lemon plantations and is thus able to exert a direct influence on the growing conditions and hence on the quality of its raw material. At present, some 4000 tons of citrus pectin are produced every year.
Pectin is increasingly marketed in almost all sectors of the food industry and in many segments of pharmaceutical and cosmetic application.
For example, pectin is used as a protective colloid in milk- and yogurt-based drinks where it prevents, due to its electrical charge, the flocculation of casein at acidic pH values.
In bakery applications, the use of pectin does not only permit heat stable fruit fillings for cakes and fancy cakes, it also has a significant impact on the dough rheology in bread and pastry products. Significant modifications can also be achieved in the field of dough processing, preservation, baking volume and pore distribution, respectively.
In the field of refrigerated merchandise, it is possible to minimise the formation of ice crystals and hence stabilise and optimise the freeze-thaw properties of these products. Pectin is also used as a stabilising agent in the production of ice cream.
The confectionery market segment is also characterised by major rates of increase. Due to application of different types of pectin, it is possible to produce gum products of a variety of different textures. The product range extends from soft and mellow bite up to firm and visco-elastic chewing properties.
In fruit juices and fruit drinks, pectin is used as a stabiliser offering a mouth feeling usually lost in cases where juice and/or sugar contents occur at reduced levels. Also of great interest are applications where pectin is used as a thickening agent and protective colloid for utilisation in emulsions not only required in the food industry but also in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Its health applications, of interest not only for the pharmaceutical industry, are briefly indicated as follows.
Pectin is used as a complex-forming agent for detoxification in cases of heavy metal poisoning. Moreover, different studies have provided evidence of the cholesterol-reducing properties of pectin (lipoprotein, cholesterol and bile acid metabolisms). Furthermore, pectin can serve as a culture medium for micrococcus, lactobacillus and enterococcus species and is hence proven to have a prebiotic impact.
In light of physiology of nutrition, the function of pectin as a roughage has been proven to be useful in cases of indigestion, and it is also used for diarrhoea prevention and weight reduction purposes.
Based on the examples provided above, which are certainly far from being exhaustive, it becomes clear that pectin is more than just a gelling agent for preserves. In the medium range, the number of applications will have expanded to cover an even wider range of products.
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Uwe Berning is Manger Technical Support, Citrico Deutschland GmbH, Malchin, Germany. www.citrico.de
