Abstract
In the current study, the texturizing properties of partially pectin-depleted cell wall material (CWM) of apple, carrot, onion and pumpkin, and the potential of functionalization by high-pressure homogenization (HPH) were addressed. This partially pectin-depleted CWM was obtained as the unextractable fraction after acid pectin extraction (AcUF) on the alcohol-insoluble residue. Chemical analysis was performed to gain insight into the polysaccharide composition of the AcUF. The microstructural and functional properties of the AcUF in suspension were studied before HPH and after HPH at 20 and 80 MPa. Before HPH, even after the pectin extraction, the particles showed a cell-like morphology and occurred separately in the apple, onion and pumpkin AcUF and in a clustered manner in the carrot AcUF. The extent of disruption by the HPH treatments at 20 and 80 MPa was dependent on the botanical origin. Only for the onion and pumpkin AcUF, the water binding capacity was increased by HPH. Before HPH, the texturizing potential of the AcUFs was greatly varying between the different matrices. Whereas HPH improved the texturizing potential of the pumpkin AcUF, no effect and even a decrease was observed for the onion AcUF and the apple and carrot AcUF, respectively.
Highlights
A considerable amount of fruits and vegetables produced are processed into food products, such as drinks, soups, sauces and purees [1,2]
The uronic acid (UA) content in the alcohol-insoluble residue (AIR) of apple was 202 mg/g, which is in the range of what was observed by Renard et al [36] (270 mg/g), Massiot et al [37]
The highest amount of UA was found in the AIR of carrot (242 mg/g), which is in good agreement with Houben et al [39]
Summary
A considerable amount of fruits and vegetables produced are processed into food products, such as drinks, soups, sauces and purees [1,2]. From a food technology standpoint, the cell wall properties have an important role in the quality perception of the textural properties of food products by consumers [3]. This cell wall is presented as a network of cellulose microfibrils cross-linked by hemicellulose surrounded by a matrix of pectin [4,5]. Apart from the new insights on the interactions of pectin in the cell wall, Cosgrove [9] argued that “biomechanical hotspots” exist, which are close interaction sites between cellulose microfibrils mediated by xyloglucan. Pectin, being the major constituent of the middle lamella, plays an important role in the adhesion between cells [10]
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