
Putting the Heat on PectinBy Tara
Weaver-Missick June 16, 2000Microwaves are good for heating other
things besides yesterdays leftovers. Agricultural Research Service scientists
have developed a method for extracting pectin from citrus fruits using
microwave technology. Pectin is a natural ingredient that is mostly present in the pulp, peel and
albedo--the white material between the outer peel and fruit sections--of citrus
fruits. Pectin is also found in apples and sugar beets. It is used as a gelling
agent in jelly foods and as a texturizer in premixed yogurt to give it a smooth
texture and pleasant mouth feel. Industry uses conventional heating to extract pectin from fruit peels. It
can take more than an hour to process a batch of fruit peels. Overheating can
reduce pectin quality by breaking it down. Researchers with the Plant Science and
Technology Research Unit, part of the ARS Eastern Regional Research Center
in Wyndmoor, Pa., developed technology that uses microwaves to heat fruit peels
and acidified water in pressure-resistantcontainers. Using this method,
pectin can be extractedin 10 minutes. Also, less energy is used and the
pectin is a higher quality than when extracted using conventional heating. Pectin is an imported high-value product that costs about $6 to $8 a pound.
Cutting the extraction time could reduce this cost significantly and open the
door for domestic pectin production for the first time in decades. This technology can be used on a variety ofagricultural commodities.
The researchers are currently testing the method for extracting pectin from
sugar beetsto improve its quality for incorporation into nonfood
products. ARS has filed for a patent on this technology. ARS is the
U.S. Department of Agricultures chief
research agency. Scientific contact: Marshall L. Fishman, ARS Plant Science and
Technology Research Unit, Eastern Regional
Research Center, Wyndmoor, Pa.; phone (215) 233-6450, fax (215) 233-6406,
[email protected]. U.S. Department of Agriculture |