Pectin is used as a gelling, thickening & stabilizing agent in foods and, to a lesser extent, in pharmaceuticals. It is used to control water in products & help to create the desired texture.
Pectin in Foods
Pectin is widely used as a gelling agent in canned jams and jellies & as a thickener, stabilizer & emulsifier in juices, bakery, confectionery & dairy products. It is also a source of dietary fiber. Pectin is also used in conjunction with other thickeners in food products such as gelatin, locust bean gum, modified food starch, agar agar, guar gum and gum arabic.
Pectin in Jam, Jellies, Preserves
The main use of pectin is in jams, jellies, i.e. in various fruit preserves. Jam products are the traditional application of pectin, which improves the taste of jams, reduces cooking time, provides good flow, improves taste and color, and increases shelf life. The recommended use rate is approximately 0.2-0.3%. Pectin is effective in improving mouthfeel, adding flavor, reducing assimilation and making jellies smooth and creamy. HM pectin is used in traditional jams, jellies, and preserves with 65% to 75% S.S. and a final pH of 3.0 to 3.5, and usually contains 0.25% to 0.5% HM pectin. Depending on the content of soluble solids and package size, rapid set, medium rapid set and slow set HM pectin is available. In the production of low-calorie jams, jellies, and preserves, LM pectin, especially LMA pectin, is used in combination with calcium salts to form rapid and uniform pectin-Ca2+ gels.
Acid Milk Drinks
Acidic milk drinks can be cultured, directly acidified or mixed with fruit juice. In the absence of stabilizers, protein precipitation and serum separation can occur, and pectin molecules can be protected by hydrophobic action and electrostatic repulsion to prevent aggregation of casein particles, thus achieving a longer shelf life. HM pectin has a DE value of over 70% and can be used in acid milk beverages.
Beverages
Low calorie or low juice content beverages lose their viscosity due to the dissolution of sugar and have a thinner mouthfeel. Pectin can help restore the desired mouthfeel by building a stable viscosity without adding any calories. Pectin also increases the viscosity of the pulp in fruit juices and provides excellent turbidity stability to pulpy beverages. Pectin provides an unparalleled refreshing taste. HM Pectin is uniquely advantageous in this application.
Pectin in Fruits Preparations
Soluble solids of 20 to 65% are required for general fruit pre-treatment. For good taste, soluble solids of 50 to 65% are required. HM pectin is suitable for fruit preparations with more than 60% S.S. and a final pH of 3.5 or less. LM pectin has a wider range of gelation in terms of pH and S.S. Pectin is well suited for yogurt fruit preparation due to its pumpable texture and its ability to prevent fruit floating.
Pectin in Bakery Jelly
Bakery jellies require very high baking stability and low moisture activity to avoid the conversion of moisture from the filling to the dough. Due to industrial use, pumpability (shear stability) and a spreadable texture become increasingly important. Therefore, it is possible to choose between HM pectin with extra slow set solidification and LM pectin with high calcium reactivity.
Pectin in Ice cream
Pectin has emulsifying and stabilizing effect, which can make the finished product taste delicate and smooth. Recommended dosage: 0.1%-0.2%.
Confectionery
Pectin is an ideal gelling agent for the production of premium candies and chewing gum. It has a transparent appearance, gives an elastic texture, presents an excellent taste, is non-sticky and at the same time low in calories. Recommended usage: 1.5%-2.5%. At the same time, it works synergistically with gelatin to avoid the low melting point that occurs when only gelatin is used, thus improving the stability of the candy. As a texturing agent, pectin is widely used in the confectionery industry. Pectin allows for a better release of flavor in confectionery and has a typical viscoelastic texture. For fruit-flavored candies, extra slow set HM pectin can be used, while for "neutral" flavored candies, buffered LM pectin is suitable for ultimately relatively high pH values.
Yoghurt
The purpose of adding pectin to yogurt is to improve taste, extend shelf life, provide a creamy, rich texture, and stabilize emulsions. Pectin improves the texture of yogurt and reduces the tendency of yogurt to assimilate. The addition of pectin to a shaped yogurt improves the firmness of the yogurt, and stirring the yogurt results in a more creamy texture. Both LMC and LMA can be used in yogurt products. It is generally recommended to add about 0.1%-0.2%.
Pectin in Jelly
Pectin has been used for many years to make high quality, tender, confectionery jellies with particularly good flavour release. Unlike some other products, pectin jellies can be manufactured to the desired final solids content and do not require stoving to remove excess moisture.
Pectin in Dressings & Glazes
Dressings are used after the dessert has cooled or frozen for a refreshing taste and appearance. Glazes are usually reheated and diluted with water before application. They are applied to baked goods to prevent them from drying out. Therefore, a thermo-reversible gel is necessary to ensure a visco-elastic texture after use. Clearly, LMA Pectin has the advantage of meeting all these requirements. The recommended dosage is usually 1.0 to 1.5%.
Uses of Pectin in Pharmaceutical Industry
In addition to an increasing range of food uses, pectin has a number of applications in the pharmaceutical sphere. Traditional use of pectin has been in diarrhea mixtures, often in conjunction with kaolin and sometimes bismuth compounds. Pectin is also used to maintain the viscosity of some syrups. Newer uses are as one of the hydrophobic fillers in self-adhesive colostomy flanges and in wound dusting powders and ulcer dressings where pectin appears to have some specific activity in promoting healing.