Enzymatic extraction of lemon pectin by Endo-Polygalacturonase from Aspergillus niger

JUAN C. CONTRERAS ESQUIVEL,; CLAUDIO E. VOGET, CAROLINA E. VITA, J.D. ESPINOSA PEREZ, CATHERINE M.G.C. RENARD

FOOD SCIENCE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

SPRINGER

Año: 2006 vol. 15 p. 163 - 167

1226-7708

Pectin was enzymatically extracted from industrial lemon pomace by using endo-polygalacturonase from Aspergillus niger as processing aid and compared to pectin extraction by hot hydrochloric acid. The yield of pectin was 17.6 and 20.2 % with enzymatic and acidic treatments, respectively. The molecular weigth distribution did not vary greatly between the samples extracted with enzyme or acid. Large differences in charge density were observed, however, when the samples were anlyzed by anionic-exchange chromatography. Pectin extracted by enzymatic treatment indicated higher charge density than that obtained by hydrochlorc acid. The higher charge ensity could due to the presence of endogenous lemon pectinesterase, which was activated at low pH 4.5 in situ conditions during the process of enzymatic extraction, leading to low methoxylated pectin with a higher charge density.