Growth in the pectin market has created a need to increase its production. Citrus fruit peel is the dominant source material used for pectin extraction, with lemon and lime peels being the principal starting material. Sweet orange peel (<i>Citrus sinensis</i>) is also utilized, in a limited extent. Currently, there is no commercial pectin production within the United States. Commercial pectin extraction from dried peel is accomplished using a hot acid process. Commonly, peel is pretreated by milling, washing, pressing and then drying prior to pectin extraction. To determine the feasibility of using domestic oranges as a source for domestic pectin production we evaluated the effects of time, temperature and pH on the structural and functional properties of pectin extracted from Valencia orange peel using a hot acid process. Juice extracted peel was collected weekly throughout the 2019 harvest season. Following pretreatment, the dried peel was pooled, and used to extract pectin with time (4, 5 and 6 h), temperature (65 °C and 75 °C) and pH (1.6 and 1.8) as process variables. Yield, sugar composition, molecular weight, polydispersity index, intrinsic viscosity, degree of methylesterification and SAG were determined on pectin from each extraction. The historical data function of Design Expert was used to evaluate the response of each variable to the process conditions. The ANOVA models for molecular weight, intrinsic viscosity and yield were highly significant, with values decreasing with increasing temperature. Increasing extraction time also decreased values for molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity.

Commercial pectin production from dried Florida orange peel, effect of process conditions on pectin structure and function

ACS Fall 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.