Evaluation of enzymatic pectin extraction by a recombinant polygalacturonase (PGI) from apples and pears pomace of Argentinean production and characterization of the extracted pectin

FRANCHI L.; MARZIALETTI B.; POSE G.; CAVALITTO S.

Congreso; INTERNATIONAL FOOD CONGRESS. NOVEL APPROACHES IN FOOD INDUSTRY- NAFI14; 2014

Argentina produces, annually, 1.8 million tons of pome fruit, distributed almost equally between apple and pear. These fruits, produced in the High Valley of Río Negro are already a registered brand in the world of fruit. Aspergillus kawachii produces an acidic polygalacturonase (PGase) called PGI that has attracted considerable interest because of its potential use in the food industry, particularly those involving fruit production in this region (such as pectin extraction). The enzymewas cloned and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of PG1 in the enzymatic pectin extraction from apples and pears pomace. Characterization of the extracted pectin was also done. The performance of PGI extraction process was compared to the traditional chemical extraction process and to the enzymaticextraction with commercial enzymes. The esterification degree (ED) and the content of uronic acids from the pectin obtained were determined. In all cases, the extraction with PGI had higher yields than the chemical extraction process. Enzymatic extracted pectins exhibited an ED > 50% so they can be considered belonging to the group of high methoxyl pectins. According with these results, PGI could be used to produce pectins from fruit pomaces converting these materials, currently considered wastes, byproducts of the fruit industry.