GB565700A - Improvement in extraction and recovery of pectin - Google Patents

Abstract

Pectin is recovered from a pectic raw material, such as apple pomace or the albedo of citrus fruits, or from a metal pectinate by treatment with a hydrogen-exchange material in the presence of water. Fresh apple pomace &c. may be heated in water at 90 DEG C. for about 5 minutes to inactivate the enzymes, pulped if necessary, washed free from soluble constituents and agitated with water and a finely-divided hydrogen-exchanger at a temperature of 60 DEG -100 DEG C. for 30 minutes or more according to the temperature to produce a dilute pectin solution which is separated by centrifuging or by a hydraulic press. The solution may be treated with activated carbon, clarified and concentrated and the pectin dried as on a rotary drum or precipitated with alcohol. A wet metal pectinate may be washed and agitated with a finely - divided hydrogen-exchanger until it liquefies, the solution being decanted, or it may be first treated with a small amount of acid and then passed through a bed of hydrogen-exchange material. Alternatively, a centrifuge may be lined with a layer of pectinate between layers of a hydrogen-exchanger. When centrifuged, the pectinate mixes with the innermost layer and the pectin solution filters through the outermost layer and issues in a continuous viscous stream. In either case, the pectin solution may be passed through a bed of anion-exchange, or anion-absorbing, material to remove free acid and then through a bed of hydrogen-exchange material to remove the last traces of metallic impurities.