Pectin in mango

Mango skin contains 10-15% pectin, which is extracted and used for the preparation of jellies. Pectin has a high value which widely useful as a stabilizer in the manufacture of jam, marmalade, jelly, and fruit juice, useful in gel formation, as well as diarrhea medicine.

Chemically pectin consists of long unbranched chains of polygalacturonic acid with carboxylic group partially esterified with methyl alcohol.

Pectins are complex colloidal acid polysaccharides. Pectic substances have high molecular weights and can be classified into four groups: protopectin, pectic acid, pectinic acid and pectins.

The major constituent of pectin molecules is poly (1-4)-α-D-galacturonan, which contains carboxyl groups presenting in either free acid or methyl ester forms. It has an important role in determination of pectin solution properties and affects the texture and structure on pectin gel formed.

The result of dividing esterified carboxylic acid units into total carboxylic acid groups in the pectin chain has been defined as the degree of esterification (DE). The DE value of pectin is an important functional property that significantly influences its commercial use as a gelling or thickening agent.

Based on the degree of esterification (DE) it can be divided into two types: high methoxyl pectin (HM pectin) which have DE more than 50% and low methoxyl pectin (LM pectin) which have DE less than 50%.
Pectin in mango