E440a PECTIN
Pectin is a natural polysaccharide that is very abundant in the cell wall of fruit, particularly in the peel of apples, pears and oranges. The percentage of pectin varies from fruit to fruit according to the species and the level of ripeness. The pectin has the function of joining one cell to another, thus giving crunchiness to the fruit; however, as the ripening process proceeds this bond melts and the fruit loses its consistency.
The food industry obtains pectin mainly from apple pulp, beets and orange peel.
In addition to pectin, there are also its salts which are:
- Sodium pectate
- Potassium pectate
- Ammonium pectate
Pectin have a gelling, emulsifying, stabilizing and leavening function. The pectins added to various foods improve their spreadability, softness and consistency. For this reason, they are contained in numerous products, such as jams, jellies and fruit juices, puddings, sugared almonds, candies, pastry creams, confectionery products, etc.
At the normal concentrations used, there are no negative side effects, while at high doses intestinal problems such as bloating and flatulence could arise.
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