EXTRACTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PECTIN DERIVED FROM PAPAYA (Carica papaya Linn.) PEEL

The aim of study was to extract pectin from papaya peel and study its physico‐chemical characteristics. Pectin was extracted using hydrochloric acid and citric acid, at different time, temperature and pH combinations. Extraction was done at temperatures 60°C, 70°C and 80°C for time 30 mins, 45 mins and 60 mins, and pH 2, 2.5 and 3.0 respectively. Using hydrochloric acid, the yield of pectin was higher (ranging from 2.8% ‐16%) and the yield of pectin using citric acid varied from 1.9% ‐ 9.9%. It was also observed that with decrease in pH the pectin yield increased. Maximum yield was obtained at pH 2.0 ‐ 6.5‐16% in case of HCl and 5.4‐9.9% for citric acid extracted pectin. This may be due the reason that with decrease in pH the number of Hydrogen ions increases resulting in the neutralization of more carboxylic groups of pectin and higher pectin yield; and also that with increase in extraction time and temperature, the pectin yield increased. Highest yield (16%) was obtained at pH 2.0, for extraction time 60 min and extraction temperature 80°C, in case of HCl and for citric acid extracted pectin highest yield (9.9%) was obtained at pH 2.0, for 60 min time of extraction and extraction temperature 80°C. The characterization of the extracted pectin was done by calculating the ash content, moisture content, equivalent weight, methoxyl content, anhydrouronic acid content and degree of esterification, which varied from 7.3%‐9.67%, 4.8‐7.2%, 455.1‐912.17, 6.2‐7.5%, 84.3‐72.5% and 49.2‐53.4%, respectively, using citric acid and hydrochloric acid.