Commercial pectin production from dried Florida orange peel: Effect of process conditions on pectin structure and function

Authors: Cameron, Randall - Randy; FERGUSON, KYLE - Former ARS Employee; Zhao, Wei; Dorado, Christina

Submitted to: Journal of Food Processing and Preservation
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/17/2022
Publication Date: 9/17/2022
Citation: Cameron, R.G., Ferguson, K., Zhao, W., Dorado, C. 2022. Commercial pectin production from dried Florida orange peel, effect of process conditions on pectin structure and function. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfpp.17193.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jfpp.17193

Interpretive Summary: To determine the feasibility of using Florida, USA, oranges for pectin production, we evaluated the effects of time, temperature and pH on pectin properties extracted from dried Valencia orange peel using a hot acid process. Juice extracted peel was collected weekly, and following pretreatment, the dried peel was pooled, and used to extract pectin with time, temperature and pH as process variables. Structural and functional properties of the extracted pectin were measured. Statistical analysis determined that increasing temperature and reaction time decreased several structural and functional properties.

Technical Abstract: To determine the feasibility of using Florida, USA, oranges for pectin production, we evaluated the effects of time, temperature and pH on pectin properties extracted from dried Valencia orange peel using a hot acid process. Juice extracted peel was collected weekly, and 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, intrinsic viscosity, degree of methylesterification, degree of branching, degree of blockiness, absolute degree of blockiness and Standard Acid in Glass were determined. We evaluated the response of each variable to the process conditions using response surface methodology. The Analysis of Variance models for molecular weight, intrinsic viscosity and yield were highly significant, with actual values decreasing with increasing temperature. Increasing reaction time also decreased values for molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity.