What is pectin used for

Nearly all fruits and vegetables contain some pectin, so eating a variety of plant foods is an excellent way to boost your intake.

However, although most jams and jellies are made with pectin, eating more jam or jelly is not a good way to include more pectin in your diet. Jams and jellies contain only small amounts of the fiber and are high in sugar and calories.

Thus, they should be eaten in moderation. In addition, you can purchase pectin in supplement form, usually as capsules. These supplements are often made from apples or citrus peels. Eating more fruits and vegetables or taking a supplement are good ways to boost your pectin intake. Jams and jellies should be eaten in moderation, as they are high in sugar and calories. Although it has many potential health benefits, more research in humans is needed to better understand how it affects health.

Soluble fiber may benefit your digestion, gut bacteria, blood sugar levels, and more. These 20 foods are all packed with soluble fiber. Pectin is a type of fiber found in the cell walls of many fruits, including apples. Here are 10 promising benefits and uses of apple pectin. Citrus allergies are rare, but they are possible. Here's what you need to know if you think you're allergic to citrus fruits.

Do you know the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber? Find out and learn how to get your recommended daily dietary fiber. This is a detailed article about apples. What they are, what they look like, along with in-depth information on nutrition and health benefits.

Apples are a popular fruit with many research-backed health benefits. Learn about the top 10 reasons why apples are good for you. Here are 7 reasons to eat citrus fruits. Diarrhea can cause uncomfortable irritation around your anus, but you may be able to soothe the pain for yourself or your baby with home remedies. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect.

A Unique Fiber Explained. Pectin is a unique fiber found in fruits and vegetables. Share on Pinterest. Emulsion-based food products can be defined as a network of pectin-protein molecules entrapping the oil droplet in between. Nowadays, a large number of pectin- and polysaccharide-based emulsified low-fat dairy products, meat products, spreads or desserts, bakery products, sauces, etc.

Low-fat and low-cholesterol mayonnaise, low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat drinking yogurt, and flavored oil-containing acidified milk drinks are the few examples of pectin-based emulsified products. These products are prepared by replacing full-fat milk from skimmed milk, emulsified oil, and whey proteins [ 70 , 71 ].

Textural characteristics and sensory evaluation of low-fat cheese show that polymers used to stabilize the emulsion affected both microcrystalline structure and organoleptic properties. The cheese prepared using GA and LMP was almost similar in textural characteristics to the full-fat milk cheese [ 72 ].

In another study, Liu et al. Microstructure analysis using scanning electron microscopy revealed that full-fat cheese was denser and contained higher concentration of fat globules than low-fat cheese made with or without pectin. Comparison within the low-fat cheese analogs showed clear difference in their hardness, gumminess, chewiness, and adhesiveness.

Addition of pectin had positive effect on textural and sensory attribute and scored better in mouthfeel also. Low-fat Lf mayonnaise was prepared by partial replacement of egg yolk and incorporation of pectin as emulsifier [ 73 , 74 ]. Pectin weak gel, pectin microencapsulation, and whey protein isolate were used in preparation of low-fat Lf mayonnaise. Physicochemical and sensory properties of Lf mayonnaise were compared with full-fat Ff mayonnaise; Lf mayonnaise had low energy and more water contents than Ff.

Textural features and rheological properties of the Lf and Ff mayonnaise were similar and both displayed thixotropic shear thinning behavior and categorized as weak gels. Moreover, Lf mayonnaise prepared using pectin had better acceptability than whey protein incorporation [ 75 ]. Emulsified oil is used as an effective delivery system of active compound in functional foods, and also serves as milk fat replacer in fat-free dairy products.

To improve the nutritional value of food, low-fat dairy products are produced, whereas saturated milk fat is generally replaced with emulsified-unsaturated vegetable oils [ 76 ]. In recent year, pectin in combination with inulin has been reported to prepare low-fat meat batter. Finding of the research showed that fracturability, gumminess, and chewiness of the low-fat sauces were slightly lower than those of the control. The use of pectin in food products as a gelling agent is a long tradition.

Later on, it was discovered that pectin forms different types of viscoelastic solution under suitable conditions. This property of pectin is commercially exploited in preparation of jams, jellies, and marmalades. Rheological behaviors of pectin depend on pectin source, its degree of methylation, distribution of nonmethylated GalA unit on pectin backbone, and degree of acetylation, and also on various extrinsic factors such as temperature, pH, concentration, and presence of divalent ions.

At a constant pH, the setting time of pectin increases with decreasing DM and degree of blockiness DB in the absence of bivalent ions [ 79 ].

Therefore, on the basis of gelling process, pectin is classified as rapid, medium, and slow set pectin [ 80 ]. Gelling process of pectin and its stabilization follows different mechanisms for different types of pectin. HMP form gels in a narrow pH range 2. During the gelatin process of HMP, junction zones are formed due to the cross-linking of two or more pectin molecules. These junctions are stabilized by weak molecular interaction such as hydrogen and hydrophobic bonds between polar and nonpolar methyl-esterified groups and require high sugar concentration and low pH [ 81 ].

These gels are thermally reversible. LMP can form gel over a wide pH range 2. These gels are stabilized by electrostatic bonds. Kuuva et al. LMP do not require sugar for its gelatin and therefore preferred choice for the production of low-calorie food products such as milk desserts, jams, jellies, and preserves, [ 28 , 85 ]. LM pectins are more stable in low pH and high temperature conditions as compare to HM pectins and can be stored for more than a year.

Food packaging is one of the fastest growing segments of food industry. Traditionally, packaging system was limited to the containers and packaging material to transport the food items from manufacturer to the retail market and then to the consumers.

Such type of packaging was unable to contribute in the extension of the shelf life and maintenance of the quality of the products. To meet the industrial demand, a number of polymers are being synthesized and used in food packaging because of their flexibility, versatility, and cost effectiveness.

Although, synthetic materials are able to fulfill all the industrial needs and keep food fresh and safe by protecting them from abiotic factors such as moisture, heat, oxygen, unpleasant odor, and biotic components such as micro- and macroorganisms. But, disposal of nonbiodegradable packaging material is a serious problem which poses a threat to the environment. Therefore, more research has been focused on the development of biodegradable packaging for food packaging applications using poly lactic acid PLA , poly hydroxyalkanoates PHAs , starch, etc.

Among all the natural polymers, polysaccharides are gaining more attention as they are versatile in nature and easily available in relatively low cost. A variety of natural polysaccharides, such as pectin, chitosan derivatives, alginate, cellulose, seaweed extract, and starch are usually used in the preparation of edible films and coatings [ 87 ]. Pectin is one of the most significant renewable natural polymers which are the main component of all the biomass and ubiquitous in nature.

Being flexible in nature, pectin and its derivatives are used in many biodegradable packaging materials that serve as moisture, oil, and aroma barrier, reduce respiration rate and oxidation of food [ 88 ].

Pectin along with food grade emulsifiers is also used in the preparation of edible films. These films are used in fresh and minimally processed, fruits and vegetables, foods and food products as pectin is the main component of the omnivorous diet and can be metabolized. Edible coating protects the nutritional properties of the food and also saves highly perishable food from the enzymatic browning, off-flavor development, aroma loss, retards lipid migration, and reduces pathogen attack during storage.

At low pH, LM pectins are cross-linked with calcium cations and form hard gels. These gels have highly stable structure and act as water barriers. Because of these properties, LM pectin films are used as edible coatings [ 88 , 89 ]. Oms-Oliu et al. It has been observed that to reduce the respiration rate and to prevent the off-flavor development, different pectin and emulsifier formations are required for different fruits. Edible coating film formulation consisted on pectin, sorbitol, and bee wax was successfully used by Moalemiyan et al.

Reduced rate of change in weight loss and other parameters were reported in pectin-coated sapota as compared to control fruits and it was observed that pectin film formulation was able to maintain good quality attributes and extend the shelf life of pectin-coated sapota fruits up to 11 days of storage at room temperature, whereas control fruits were edible up to 6 days.

Bayarri et al. The main purpose of the study was to control the release of lysozyme in packaged food and to target lysozyme-sensitive bacteria such as Bacillus and Clostridium. It was observed that in the presence of fungal pectinase, due to the dissociation of pectin linkage, lysozyme activity of films increased remarkably. Many food-contaminating bacteria are pectinase producing and such type of films may be used to control food contaminants.

These results have opened new avenues for custom-made biodegradable film [ 95 ]. In last few years, some researchers have focused on pectin-based coating containing edible essential to improve the antimicrobial properties and to enhance the efficiency of the pectin films.

Edible coating formulation containing sodium alginate and pectin PE enriched with eugenol Eug and citral Cit essential oil at different concentrations was used to increase the shelf life of strawberries. Persimmon fruit slices were coated by dipping in the pectin-based emulsion or in water as control. Various parameters, such as package gas composition, color and firmness of slice, polyphenol oxidase activity, were measured during storage.

It was observed that edible coating along with MAP significantly reduced the CO 2 emission and O 2 consumption in the packaged fruits. Furthermore, coating was also effective in controlling microbial growth and reducing enzymatic browning and maintains good sensory parameters up to 10 days on storage [ 98 ].

Drying is the traditional and oldest method of fruit and vegetable preservation. It decreases the enzymatic activity, reduces the moisture contents, and protects the food from microbial attack. As a soluble fiber, pectin may help relieve constipation or diarrhea and improve heart health. Further research is needed. Here is some of what the current body of research says about apple pectin.

A combination of apple pectin and chamomile extract may help relieve diarrhea in children, suggests an early study in the German journal Arzneimittelforschung Drug Research. For this study, children ages 6 months to 6 years were given either an inactive placebo or a commercial preparation called Diarrhoesan containing milligrams, mg, of apple pectin and mg of camomile extract during an acute bout of diarrhea.

According to the investigators, the children treated with Diarrhoesan experienced greater improvement in symptoms compared to those that weren't.

Although pectin may be presumed to be the cause of this, the researchers were unable to draw any conclusions as to which ingredient was more or less active. Similarly, a study conducted at Jinling Hospital in China reported that among 87 adults with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome IBS-D , those given 24 grams of pectin powder per day experienced better control of their symptoms and few bouts of diarrhea over a month period than those given a placebo.

Apple pectin may help lower cholesterol, according to a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. LDL cholesterol is the type that can buildup on the walls of arteries, creating obstructive plaques and contributing to the development of atherosclerosis hardening of the arteries. Pectin works by binding to bile in the intestines; bile is a substance that breaks down fat so that it can be absorbed into the bloodstream.

By inhibiting the breakdown of digestive fat, apple pectin may aid in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia high blood cholesterol , although it is unlikely to do so on its own. Pectin can also reduce blood sugar by binding to carbohydrates in the stomach and intestine.

This helps prevent carbs from being broken down into their constituent sugars, namely glucose, fructose, and galactose.

A review from Food Standards Australia New Zealand FSANZ reported that apple pectin, taken in doses of milligrams mg to 1, mg, offered minimum to no benefit in reducing blood sugar after eating 65 grams of carbohydrate. No changes in insulin response were noted compared to a placebo.

By contrast, pectin derived from soybeans appears to have a greater effect on blood glucose levels, albeit not enough to control diabetes on its own. The enzyme is a byproduct of fecal bacteria and is closely associated with colon cancer.

Studies on rats and mice also suggest a preventive benefit. Despite the positive findings, there is no evidence that such a response can be achieved in humans. Unlike MCP, which is readily absorbed in the intestine, the absorption of apple pectin is minimal, making its cancer-fighting properties improbable at best. By contrast, MCP has been shown to decrease the risk of metastasis spread of cancer in mice by preventing the formation of new blood vessels that "feed" cancer tumors.

As such, the inhibitory action of MCP occurs in the bloodstream rather than within the intestine, where apple pectin works. Apple pectin is generally safe to consume, although it may cause side effects such as:. The side effects tend to be mild and can usually be relieved by reducing the dose. Pectin can interfere with certain substances. It is known to decrease the absorption of beta-carotene, an important antioxidant found in colorful plants and fruits. The inadequate intake of beta-carotene can lead to vitamin A deficiency manifesting with symptoms such as dry skin, dry eyes, night blindness, impaired fertility, and an increased risk of throat and chest infection.

Pectin can also interfere with the absorption of certain pharmaceutical drugs, including:. To avoid interactions, let your healthcare provider know if you are using apple pectin, prescription drugs, or over-the-counter medications. Apple pectin supplements can be found online as well as in many natural food shops and stores specializing in dietary supplements.

Most are sold either in capsule form or as a powder that you can mix with water or juice. There are no guidelines for the appropriate use of apple pectin, although most manufacturers typically recommend a daily dose of between 1, to 1, mg per day. It is best taken 30 minutes before a meal so that it will be available to bind with excess water, fat, or carbohydrates in the intestine.

Start with half doses of apple pectin for the first few weeks, gradually increasing them as tolerated. The excess use of pectin can cause diarrhea, particularly in the early stages of treatment.

Dosages of between and mg, taken in split doses, have been used safely in children. Speak with your pediatrician before using apple pectin or any other antidiarrheal remedy in children. Dietary supplements are not strictly regulated in the United States, making it difficult to know which are good or not-so-good.