Pectin is the substance which occurs naturally in the apples, berries and other fruits. It was introduced in 1825 by Henri Braconnot. Commercially, it is produced as white to light brown powder that is extracted from citrus fruits. It is used as gelling agent in foods especially jams and jellies. It is also added to sweets, medicines, dessert fillings and fruit drinks. It is the water soluble carbohydrate which is available on the intercellular tissues and cell walls of certain plants.  It helps to lower the low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels.  It helps to provide relief from diarrhea and slow down the passage of food from intestine. Other common names for pectin are Acide Pectinique, Apple Pectin, Acide Pectique, Citrus Pectin, Grapefruit Pectin, Fruit Pectin, MCP, Lemon Pectin, Modified Citrus Pectin, Pectine, Pectina, Pectine d’Agrume Mod and Pectine de Pomme.

History

It was confined by Henri Braconnot in 1825. The well set jams could be obtained from the fruits if the fruits rich in pectin are mixed to the recipe. At the time of Industrial Revolution, the fruit preserve makers extract pectin from the dried apple pomace. In 1920s and 1930s, factories were built to extract pectin from the dried apple pomace. It was firstly sold as liquid extract and now it is commonly found in the form of dried powder.

Nutritional value

100 grams of pectin liquid provides 96.9 g of water, 11 calories, 1 g of ash and 2.1 g of total dietary fiber. Dry mix pectin of 50 g of 4.35 g, 162 calories, 0.15 g of protein, 0.15 g of total fat, 0.15 g of ash, 45.2 g of carbohydrate and 4.3 g of total dietary fiber. It also contains the minerals such as 4 mg of calcium, 1.35 mg of iron, 1 mg of phosphorus, 4 mg of potassium, 100 mg of sodium, 0.23 mg of zinc, 0.21 mg of copper and 0.035 mg of manganese.

Health Benefits of Pectin

Fruits have pectin which helps to thicken the foods while preparing commercially. Pectin is found in high content in orange, carrots, apples and citrus peels. Some benefits of pectin are:

• It is useful for diarrhea and constipation.
• It is used to prevent prostate and colon cancer.
• It is used to prevent gastroesophageal reflux disease and diabetes.
• It is used for the prevention of lead, metal and strontium poisoning.
• It is applied to skin for ulcerated mouth as well as throat sores.
• It also regulates the bowel movements in the body.

Precautions                                                                                                 

• It may cause gas, diarrhea and loose stools in some people.
• The inhalation of pectin dust results in occupational asthma.
• It lowers the tetracycline antibiotics absorption.
• Due to high content of fiber, it lowers the effectiveness of diagoxin.
• Some might experience the side effects such as bloating, diarrhea, decrease in appetite and depletion of mineral.

Uses     

• It is used as gelling agent in jellies and jams.
• It is used in dessert, sweets, medicines, milk drinks and fruit juice.
• It is used as an ingredient in jelling sugar.
• It is used to stabilize yogurt and juices.

Other Facts        

• Guavas, apples, plums, quince, citrus fruits and orange has high content of pectin.
• It occurs naturally.
• The word pectin is derived from the Greek word pektikos which means congealed or curdled.
• The amount of pectin decreases when it gets ripened.
• Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, cherries, rhubarb and pears are the fruit low in pectin.
• Lemon (or acid) helps to extract pectin from the fruit when it is heated.

Pectin Facts

It is the indigestible soluble fiber which forms a colloidal system and become gel when cooled. It is used as thickening agent in food. It is heated with sugar to form jams or jellies. It is used to treat high triglycerides, high cholesterol, prevent prostate and colon cancer. It is used for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease and diabetes. It helps to prevent the strontium, lead and metal poisoning.

References:

https://draxe.com/pectin/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pectin

http://blog.ideasinfood.com/ideas_in_food/2008/02/a-brief-overvie.html

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