EFFECT OF EXTRACTION PARAMETERS ON THE YIELD AND QUALITY OF PECTIN FROM MANGO (Mangifera indica L.) PEELS

Abstract

Pectin is a structural heteropolysaccharide, commonly found in the peels of various fruits and vegetables that are used as a gelling agent and stabilizer in food and pharmaceutical industries. The present study was focused on the potential of mango peel as a source of pectin. Therefore, pectin was extracted from mango (mangifera Indica) peels powder using HCl as extractant at five different extraction conditions viz. temperatures (60, 70, 80, 90 and 100°C), pH (1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0) and time (60, 80, 100, 120 and 140 minutes). Pectin yields varied from 14.60% to 28.42% depending on extraction conditions used in this study. The highest yield (28.06%) condition was found at 90°C temperature, 1.5 pH (28.42%) and 120 minutes (28.06%) of extraction time. The quality parameters of pectin in terms of equivalent weight (450.45g to 1324.24g), methoxyl content (5.15 to 7.90%), anhydrouronic acid content (48.93 to 74.62%) and degree of esterification (43.28% to 77.14%) was found to be in satisfactory levels. On the contrary, soluble sugar content (12.43% to 23.49%) was slightly higher compared to the existing data for various pectin sources, because matured and ripen mangoes were used in this extraction procedure. In some conditions e.g. at higher pH (e.g. 3.0), lower time (e.g 60 minutes) and low temperature (e.g 60°C) the anhydrouronic acid (AUA) content was moderately low compared to the standard data of Food Chemicals Codex, 1996. This is an indication of the existence of protein in the extracted pectin. The pectin extracted from mango peel powder also applied in jelly formulation at different concentration i.e 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% to see the quality characteristics of jelly like jelly grade and especially the sensory characteristics. From the sensory evaluation of jelly it was found that the jelly prepared with 1.0% of extracted mango pectin was more excellent and more acceptable than other pectin concentration. The colour, taste, appearance, flavor and overall acceptability was highly acceptable at 1.0% pectin concentration compared to other percentage of pectin used in the formulation of jelly. On the other hand, the result obtained for commercial or standard pectin at 0.5% concentration was moderately good more acceptable than other pectin concentration. Through this study, manufacturer will get valuable information regarding the quality of mango peel pectin. Conclusively, mango peel can be used as new source of pectin for application in different food and pharmaceutical products.