ABSTRACT:
Pectin can be used as food and pharmaceutical additives. Pectin was extracted using acid extraction method. The extraction condition has a major impact on the yield of extraction. Temperature, extraction time and pH showed a significant effect on the pectin yield. The optimum temperature, time and pH for the extraction of pectin from peels were determined to be 60°C, 60 min and 6 respectively. The yields of pectin under these optimum conditions were found to be 27% for fresh dried Punica granatum peels. The characteristics of pectin from Punica granatum peel were found to be molecular weight of 277.78 g/mol, methoxyl content of 4.96. The anhydrouronic acid content was found to be 91.5% and the degree of esterification was 30.77%. The moisture content of pectin obtained under the optimum conditions was found to be 69.6%. This study investigated the effect of temperature, time and pH on the yield and physicochemical characteristics of pectin extracted from Punica granatum peels.