Galacturonic Acid Content Research Articles

Volarization of valuable compound from watermelon by-product using ultrasound-assisted extraction

The aim of this study was to develop an efficient, reliable, and sustainable technology for the recovery of value-added compounds from by-product, in this case, is watermelon rinds. The properties of the watermelon rinds obtained from innovative ultrasoundassisted extraction (UAE) were evaluated. In regard to this, the pectin content, degree of esterification, and galacturonic acid content of the watermelon rind extracts were determined in order to verify the efficiency of the UAE. Initially, the UAE were conducted using two types of acid: citric and hydrochloric. The highest pectin content was obtained using citric acid. Additional UAE was then performed with citric acid at 50, 60, or 70°C for 10, 20, or 30 mins. Both UAE temperature and time significantly influenced the pectin extracts and galacturonic acid. The best findings for a high galacturonic acid content (47.41%) when the watermelon rinds were extracts at 70°C for 20 mins. According to the findings, the extraction process lasted 10 or 20 mins at all temperatures was mainly high-methoxyl pectin, which can form gels under acidic conditions. This suggests that pectins derived from watermelon rinds using UAE may be especially useful as an additive in some confectionery products.

Enzyme assisted extraction of pectin and inulin enriched fractions isolated from microwave treated Cynara cardunculus tissues

SummaryArtichoke flower heads are consumed fresh or industrialized. Agroindustrial by‐products of this plant can be used for the production of dietary fiber. A microwave heating procedure is proposed for polysaccharides concentration in the residues. It consumed less time (36 min vs 75 min) and solvent volume (110 mL vs 140 mL) and allowed the extraction of a higher amount of total carbohydrates (95 g/100g vs 83 g/100g) than the habitually used convective procedure. A subsequent stage involving buffer/enzymes allowed to isolate pectin and inulin enriched fractions. Their inulin content was 32–45 g/100g. The galacturonic acid content oscillated between 22 and 29 g/100g. The fractions were slightly yellow/red colored and formed gels in the presence of calcium ion. The procedure proposed is of importance in the frame of emerging biorefinery because it uses vegetable by‐products to produce fractions with potential for being used in the formulation of healthy foods.

Biodegradable Electrosprayed Pectin Films: An Alternative to Valorize Coffee Mucilage

The use of pectin from coffee mucilage (PI) is an alternative to reduce the environmental impact of the wet processing coffee industries by applying it in the generation of degradable films. Hence, the aim of this work was to valorize industrial coffee waste as a source of pectin to prepare biodegradable films by a novel methodology (electrospraying), perform chemical characterization of pectin, and compare the films with a control method (casting) and pectin (citric, PC). Coffee mucilage pectin composition (PI) was different, having smaller galacturonic acid content (52.2%) than PC. The presence of neutral sugars (ribose, xylose, glucose), the high degree of esterification (84.92 ± 1.70) and the diffractogram and Raman spectra results, gave the basis to consider PI as a high methoxyl pectin. PI films showed different physical properties and structure than Pc, depending on the composition and method of production. Regarding mechanical and barrier characteristics, films prepared with pectin from coffee mucilage presented a typical behavior of rigid polymers; they were also more permeable to water vapor (2.91 ± 0.02 × 10−12 g/s m Pa) and were highly biodegradable and soluble in water. Due to these characteristics, the production of films from coffee mucilage pectin becomes a suitable alternative to give added value to this unexploited waste.

Isolation and Biophysical Characterisation of Bioactive Polysaccharides from Cucurbita Moschata (Butternut Squash).

Cucurbits are plants that have been used frequently as functional foods. This study includes the extraction, isolation, and characterisation of the mesocarp polysaccharide of Cucurbita moschata. The polysaccharide component was purified by gel filtration into three fractions (NJBTF1, NJBTF2, and NJBTF3) of different molecular weights. Characterisation includes the hydrodynamic properties, identification of monosaccharide composition, and bioactivity. Sedimentation velocity also indicated the presence of small amounts of additional discrete higher molecular weight components even after fractionation. Sedimentation equilibrium revealed respective weight average molecular weights of 90, 31, and 19 kDa, with the higher fractions (NJBTF1 and NJBTF2) indicating a tendency to self-associate. Based on the limited amount of data (combinations of 3 sets of viscosity and sedimentation data corresponding to the 3 fractions), HYDFIT indicates an extended, semi-flexible coil conformation. Of all the fractions obtained, NJBTF1 showed the highest bioactivity. All fractions contained galacturonic acid and variable amounts of neutral sugars. To probe further, the extent of glycosidic linkages in NJBTF1 was estimated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GCMS), yielding a high galacturonic acid content (for pectin polysaccharide) and the presence of fructans—the first evidence of fructans (levan) in the mesocarp. Our understanding of the size and structural flexibility together with the high bioactivity suggests that the polysaccharide obtained from C. moschata has the potential to be developed into a therapeutic agent.

Averrhoa bilimbi pectin-based edible films: Effects of the linearity and branching of the pectin on the physicochemical, mechanical, and barrier properties of the films

The potential of Averrhoa bilimbi pectin (ABP) as a source of biopolymer for edible film (EF) production was explored, and deep eutectic solvent (DES) (1% w/w) containing choline chloride–citric acid monohydrate at a molar ratio of 1:1 was used as the plasticizer. The EF-ABP3:1, which was produced from ABP with large branch size, showed a higher value of melting temperature (175.30 °C), tensile stress (7.32 MPa) and modulus (33.64 MPa). The EF-ABP3:1 also showed better barrier properties by obtaining the lowest water vapor transmission rates (1.10–1.18 mg/m2.s) and moisture absorption values (2.61–32.13%) depending on the relative humidity compared to other EF-ABPs (1.39–1.83 mg/m2.s and 3.48–51.50%, respectively) that have linear structure with smaller branch size. From these results, it was suggested that the galacturonic acid content, molecular weight, degree of esterification and pectin structure of ABP significantly influenced the properties of EFs. The interaction of highly branched pectin chains was stronger than the linear chains, thus reduced the effect of plasticizer and produced a mechanically stronger EF with better barrier properties. Hence, it was suggested that these EFs could be used as alternative degradable packaging/coating materials.

Co-optimization of pectin and polyphenols extraction from black mulberry pomace using an eco-friendly technique: Simultaneous recovery and characterization of products

The current work investigated a simultaneous recovery of pectin and polyphenols from black mulberry pomace (BMP) using an eco-friendly extraction process. The microwave-assisted extraction variables were successfully co-optimized using Box–Behnken design considering pectin and polyphenols yields as responses. The optimized condition yielded about 10.95% pectin and 12.11% phenolics. The physicochemical analysis indicated a highly-esterified pectin (DE of 62.21%) with an average molecular weight of 620.489 kDa and galacturonic acid (GalA) content of 70.15%. FTIR and NMR spectroscopies confirmed the predominant presence of highly esterified GalA-rich structure for BMP pectin. XRD analysis suggested an amorphous structure for the main part of BMP pectin. Also, DSC results showed higher thermal stability for BMP pectin in comparison to commercial pectin. Moreover, the antiradical activity of BMP phenolic extract was very close to that of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and ascorbic acid. The results showed that the suggested procedure can be a promising solution for the management of BMP waste generated in juice, syrup, or liquor processing plants. Also, the quality of the obtained products (BMP pectin and BMP phenolic extract) indicated that the products have the potential to be used as natural ingredients in various food and pharmaceutical products.

Ultrasonic and microwave treatment improved jujube juice yield.

The methods to leaching juice from dried jujube using six treatments and some factors related with juice yield such as total soluble solids (TSS), pectinase activity, pectin contents, galacturonic acid, and the microstructure morphology of cell were investigated. Six treatments including natural leaching, ultrasonic, microwave, ultrasonic before microwave, ultrasonic after microwave, and pressing directly were applied to extract juice. The group which treating with ultrasonic before microwave displayed its total soluble solids (TSS) was 16 °Brix, which was 6.67% higher than that of natural leaching. And its total soluble solids (TSS) reached to equilibrium in 2 hr, which was faster than that of natural leaching. The mechanism of improving the production efficiency of juice yield using ultrasonic combined with microwave was explored accordingly. The content of pectin and galacturonic acid increased by 58.52% and 59.01%, respectively, which were the highest among all samples. The activity of pectinase was 9.71 μg/(h·g), which was significantly decreased 40.23% as compared to natural leaching. And the treated cells became shriveled and pitted, which led to the leakage of the contents of cell. Thus, the result showed that treating with ultrasonic before microwave displayed the best juice yield. Ultrasonic cooperate with microwave was an efficient method to leaching juice from dried jujube.

Determination of Kinetic Parameters and The Effect of Ion Mg2+ Inhibition Into Pectinase Activities.

The purpose of study was to determine kinetic parameters and inhibitory effect of Mg2+ ions on pectinase. Activity test performed at pH 4,5 temperature 55oC for 50' with 10 mm concentrations of each ion 0-10mm. Galacturonic acid content, as product of pectin substrate hydrolysis, was used as basis for determining activity and analyzed by visible spectrophotometry. At concentrations 2 and 4 mm Mg2+ act as an activator, but at concentrations 6, 8, and 10 mM as inhibitors. The value of KM with and without inhibitors is almost same, that is 0.3145% and 0.3105% but value of Vm from both are different, that is 80,645 μg.ml-1.minute-1 and 62,112 μg.ml-1.minute-1. The conclusion that type of inhibitory pectinase with Mg2+ is a non-competitive inhibition. The inhibition constant value (Ki) is 26,84.

Extraction of Low Methoxyl Pectin from Fresh Sunflower Heads by Subcritical Water Extraction.

Subcritical water extraction (SWE) of pectin from fresh sunflower heads was optimized using the response surface methodology (RSM). The optimal conditions for the maximum yield of pectin (6.57 ± 0.6%) were found to be a pressure of 8 bar, temperature of 120 °C, time of 20 min, and liquid–solid ratio (LSR) of 7 mL/g. The degree of esterification (DE) of pectin was analyzed by titrimetry and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) methods, which was low methoxyl pectin. The molecular weight (Mw), galacturonic acid (GalA) content, and surface tension of pectin were 11.50 kDa, 82%, and 45.38 mN/m (1.5% w/v), respectively. Moreover, thermogravimetric (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis confirmed that pectin had excellent thermal stability. FTIR and 1H NMR spectra confirmed its structure. This study demonstrated that SWE could be used as a productive and environmentally friendly method for extracting pectin from fresh sunflower heads.

Physicochemical properties and antioxidant activity of pectin from hawthorn wine pomace: A comparison of different extraction methods

In the paper, to enhance the value and utilization rate of hawthorn wine pomace waste, four kinds of pectin were gained from hawthorn wine pomace by hydrochloric acid method (HA-HP), citric acid method (CA-HP), cellulase method (E-HP) and microwave-assisted chelating agent method (MH-HP). The physical and chemical properties of extracted hawthorn pectin were analyzed, however, different extraction methods lead to different characteristics of extracted pectin samples. We found that the extracted hawthorn pectin was all low-methoxy pectin, and the highest extraction yield of 72.89% with high ash (9.20%) was obtained by the MH-HP method, while the galacturonic acid (Gal A) content was up to 72.24% after dealing with the CA-HP method which was the highest among the four samples, besides, the quality of gel formed by E-HP method was the best. What's more, the four extracted samples all reveled degrees of antioxidant activity with dose-dependent in vitro antioxidant, and it was CA-HP method had the best antioxidant activity, making this the first comprehensive research describing the extracting pectin from hawthorn wine pomace. This research also provides a base for industrial production of high-value products from low-cost raw materials.

Complex coacervation of acid-extracted fiber from butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) and protein

The ability of acid-extracted butternut squash fiber to form complex coacervates with ovalbumin and gelatin was investigated in this paper. The yield of squash fiber and its galacturonic acid content were approx. 6% and 30% (w/w), respectively. Properties of coacervates prepared with squash fiber and proteins at various mixing ratios were evaluated and compared with coacervates formed with sugar beet pectin extracted under the same conditions. FTIR measurements confirmed that coacervation was a result of electrostatic interactions in pH intervals where fiber and protein were oppositely charged. In general, both observed fibers formed coacervates of higher structure strength with gelatin at lower mixing ratios. Nevertheless, butternut squash fiber proved to be superior to sugar beet pectin regarding the ability to form coacervate with the highest mechanical strength. Storage moduli of coacervates from squash fiber and gelatin at 1:1 and 1:2 mixing ratios were 1.5 and 2 times higher, respectively, compared with moduli of coacervates with sugar beet pectin, while squash based complexes formed at 1:3 mixing ratio exhibited four times higher mechanical stability. In addition, squash fiber-based coacervates with ovalbumin showed the highest stability under simulated gastric conditions resulting in a completely preserved structure in the gastric fluid. More than half of squash fiber:ovalbumin (1:1) coacervate remained intact in the intestinal matrix, thus making it 20% more stable than coacervate with sugar beet pectin.

Combined Fractionation of Protopectin Degradation Products

Combined fractionation of soluble and insoluble pectinic polysaccharides, i.e., protopectin decomposition products in a column reactor, was studied using beet pulp, pomelo albedo, and sunflower calathides as examples. The ability to isolate separate fractions with different galacturonic acid contents, degrees of esterification, and viscosity parameters was demonstrated. The formation mechanism of protopectin decomposition products was identical regardless of the raw material. The results enable the production of pectinic polysaccharides with given physicochemical parameters to be controlled.

Simultaneous extraction optimization and characterization of pectin and phenolics from sour cherry pomace

In the present study, the effect of microwave-assisted extraction conditions on the simultaneous recovery of pectin and phenolic compounds from sour cherry pomace (SCP) was optimized. The results showed that maximum yield of pectin (14.65 ± 0.39%) and phenolic compounds (14.36 ± 0.29%) was obtained under microwave power of 800 W, irradiation time of 300 s, pH of 1.00 and LSR of 20 v/w. The resulting pectin under the mentioned conditions had the moisture, ash and protein content, and also total carbohydrates of ~8.32, ~3.73, ~1.41 and ~26.43%, respectively. Also, the obtained pectin with the molecular weight of 472.977 kDa and total phenol content of 91.54 ± 2.92 mg GAE/g pectin had a high purity (galacturonic acid content of ~72.86%) and suitable thermal stability (degradation temperature of 252.15 °C) and also could be classified as HMP (DE of 68.37 ± 2.78%). The FTIR, 1H NMR and XRD analysis indicated that the obtained sample was rich in esterified poly-galacturonic acid and had an amorphous structure. The phenolic compounds analysis showed that the SCP extract had a concentration-dependent antioxidant effect that was comparable with ascorbic acid and BHA at high concentrations.

Preparation of Clindamycin Hydrochloride Loaded De-Esterified Low-Methoxyl Mango Peel Pectin Film Used as a Topical Drug Delivery System

In this study, we aimed to develop a low-mexthoxyl pectin (LMP) from mango peel pectin through a de-esterification method for use as a film forming agent. The prepared de-esterified pectin (DP) was compared to commercial LMP (cLMP) which possessed a 29% degree of esterification (DE). Mango peel pectin was extracted from ripe Nam Dokmai mango peel using the microwave-assisted extraction method. Pectin derived from the mango peel was classified as a high mexthoxyl pectin (79% DE) with 75% of galacturonic acid (GalA) content. A de-esterification experiment was designed by central composite design to plot the surface response curve. Our prepared DP was classified as LMP (DE 29.40%) with 69% GalA. In addition, the Fourier-transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR) spectra of the DP were similar to cLMP and the pectin backbone was not changed by the de-esterification process. Strikingly, the cLMP and DP films showed non-significant differences between their physical properties (p > 0.05) with respect to the puncture strength (13.72 N/mm2 and 11.13 N/mm2 for the cLMP and DP films, respectively), percent elongation (2.75% and 2.52% for the cLMP and DP films, respectively), and Young’s modulus (67.69 N/mm2 and 61.79 N/mm2 for the cLMP and DP films, respectively). The de-esterified pectin containing clindamycin HCl (DPC) and low-methoxyl pectin containing clindamycin HCl (cLMPC) films demonstrated 93.47% and 98.79% of drug loading content. The mechanical properties of the cLMPC and DPC films were improved possibly due to their crystal structures and a plasticizing effect of clindamycin HCl loaded into the films. The DPC film exhibited a drug release profile similar to that of the cLMPC film. Our anti-bacterial test of the films found that the cLMPC film showed 41.11 and 76.30 mm inhibitory clear zones against Staphylococcus aureus and Cutibacterium acnes, respectively. The DPC film showed 40.78 and 74.04 mm clear zones against S. aureus and C. acnes, respectively. The antibacterial activities of the cLMPC and DPC films were not significantly different from a commercial clindamycin solution. The results of this study suggest that mango peel pectin can be de-esterified and utilized as an LMP and the de-esterified pectin has the potential for use as a film forming agent, similar to cLMP. In addition, the remarkable use of de-esterified mango peel pectin to prepare films, as shown by our study, holds a great promise as an alternative material for anti-bacterial purposes.

The effect of high-power ultrasound on the rheological properties of strawberry pulp.

This study investigated the effects of high-power ultrasound (HPU, 0-45°C, 242-968W/cm2, 2-16min) on the rheological properties of strawberry pulp. Following the HPU treatment, the strawberry pulp exhibited an increase in apparent viscosity, storage modulus (G'), and loss modulus (G″). The water-soluble pectin (WSP), pectin methylesterase (PME) activity, and free calcium ions (Ca2+) of the strawberry pulp after HPU treatment were investigated to determine a possible reason for this phenomenon. HPU caused a significant decrease in the degree of esterification (DE), molecular weight (Mw), and particle size of strawberry WSP, but no significant changes were evident in the galacturonic acid (GalA) content and the zeta (ζ)-potential (P>0.05), resulting in decrease in the apparent viscosity. Moreover, the largest reduction of PME activity was 22.6% after HPU treatment at 605W/cm2 and 45°C for 16min, indicating that the PME was resistant to the HPU treatments. The free Ca2+ content in the strawberry pulp was significantly decreased after exposure to HPU (P<0.05). The maximal reduction of 52.01% in the free Ca2+ was achieved at 605W/cm2 and 45°C for 16min. The overall results indicated that the high residual activity (RA) of PME after HPU might induce the low esterification of WSP, while HPU promoted the interaction of free Ca2+ and low-methylated pectin, to form the network structure of Ca2+-low-methylated pectin, resulting in an increase in viscosity in the complex strawberry system.

Fine structure, physicochemical and antioxidant properties of LM-pectins from okra pods dried under different techniques

This work investigates the effect of drying okra pods by different techniques [freeze-drying (FD), sun-drying (SD), oven-drying (OD) and microwave-drying (MD)] on the molecular structure, physicochemical and antioxidant properties of the subsequently extracted OP. Remarkably, although the degree of methyl esterification (∼41.1 %) remained similar among samples, the content of galacturonic acid (62.67–68.77 %), average number molecular weight (MnI: 758.8–808.5 kDa, MnII: 20.9–24.2 kDa), and to a greater extent the apparent viscosity of an aqueous solution of pectin molecules, water holding capacity (0.21–10.71 g/g) and emulsifying activity (42.3–72.7 %) and stability (38.6–53.5 %), decreased with the drying temperature in the order of FD-OP > SD-OP > OD-OP > MD-OP. On the other hand, only FD-OP presented a higher proportion of galactan and/or arabinan side chains [(Ara + Gal) / Rha = 12.37%] compared to the rest of the samples, with values ranging from 7.79 to 9.17%. FD-OP and SD-OP resulted in lower DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities.

Development of a continuous-flow system for microwave-assisted extraction of pectin-derived oligosaccharides from food waste

This paper addresses the current lack of a scalable process for the extraction of “hairy” pectins to upcycle biomasses, by describing the design methodology, building and testing of a continuous microwave-assisted process for potato waste pectin extraction. Hairy pectins have been shown to present prebiotic activity. Conventional pectin extraction methods are not suitable to produce them, as they lead to degradation of hairy regions, in part due to long heating times. Microwave heating is considered an alternative due to its selective and rapid heating. The 2 kW single mode system developed in this study achieved good temperature control of ±2.5 °C, and a stable target temperature in ≈1 min processing time at a feed flow rate of 250 mL min−1. Pectin yields of 40–45% (indicated by the galacturonic acid content) were achieved, with a feed residence time of only 0.81 s followed by 20 min cooling-down under stirring. These yields were 59.75% higher on average than control experiments in batch conditions or under continuous heating. This indicates that a short heating time is sufficient to allow pectin hydrolysis, after which the rate limiting diffusion step can proceed during cool-down, minimising pectin degradation caused by prolonged exposure to high temperatures. The presence of hairy pectin regions in the extract was confirmed by neutral sugar analysis. The high starch content in potato necessitated a de-starching procedure. A sieving procedure was implemented, which removed more starch than enzymatic de-starching, resulting in a higher purity pectin extract and the ability to collect starch as a separate value stream. This work proves the suitability of microwaves to be used as a fast heating method to extract pectin from biomass, avoiding degradation, using a scalable continuous mode of operation.

Utilization of the co-product of jaboticaba (Myrciaria jaboticaba Berg.) for pectin extraction

Pectin is a polysaccharide that can be applied to various food industry products to modify the viscosity of food. The objective of this work was to optimize the extraction of pectin of jabuticaba peel by modificating the yield, galacturonic acid content (AUA), esterification content (DE), pectin content (P), and neutral sugars (N). The experiment was performed using the technique of factorial planning of complete experiments and surface response analysis. The extraction can be reported through factorial planning with coefficients of determination (R²) of 0.92, 0.91, 0.89, 0.88 and 0.90 for the yield extraction, AUA, DE, P, and N, respectively. The content of AUA ranged from 22.82 to 65.35%, the DE varied from 26.72 to 77.50%, the percentage of P found in the extraction 25.50 to 66.12%. The best performance was verified utilizing the following parameters: extraction time less than 75 min, temperature of 70°C, and citric acid concentration of 0.75 mol.L-1.

Undigested low-methoxy pectin prevents diarrhea and induces colonic contraction during liquid-diet feeding in rats.

Dietary fibers, such as pectins, are blended in liquid diets (LDs) to prevent diarrhea; however, which type of pectin is more effective, along with its mechanism of action, remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the gelling characteristics, fermentability, fecal properties, and motility of the colon during the administration of LDs blended with pectins. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered LDs containing high-methoxy pectin (HM), low-methoxy amidated pectin (LMA), low-methoxy pectin (LM), and very low-methoxy amidated pectin (VLMA) ad libitum. The amount of pectin in the feces was assessed by measuring galacturonic acid content. The contractile motility of the rats' descending colons was measured with a force transducer. HM was well fermented, but VLMA was significantly less fermented. LM and LMA displayed intermediate fermentability. An LD that contained LM and VLMA gelled with calcium ions in artificial gastric juice did not cause diarrhea, as opposed to other pectin types. Contractile motility was significantly lower and stools were looser when pectin or calcium was excluded from the LD. In the colon, LM or VLMA could form a water-holding gel with calcium ions to produce normal feces. The mechanical stimulation of the formed fecal mass might induce physiological colonic contractions.

Treatment with Subcritical Water-Hydrolyzed Citrus Pectin Ameliorated Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppression and Modulated Gut Microbiota Composition in ICR Mice.

Subcritical water can effectively hydrolyze pectin into smaller molecules while still maintaining its functional regions. Pectic heteropolysaccharide can mediate immune regulation; however, the possible effects of subcritical water-hydrolyzed citrus pectin (SCP) on the immune response remain unclear. Therefore, the effects of SCP on immunomodulatory functions and intestinal microbial dysbiosis were investigated using a cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mouse model. In this research, immunosuppressed ICR mice were administrated with SCP at dosages of 300/600/1200 mg/kg.bw by oral gavage, and body weight, immune organ indexes, cytokines, and gut microbiota were determined. The results showed that subcritical water treatment decreased the molecular mass and increased the content of galacturonic acid in citrus pectin hydrolysates. Meanwhile, the treatment with SCP improved immunoregulatory functional properties and bioactivities over the original citrus pectin. For example, SCP protected immune organs (accelerated recovery of immune organ indexes) and significantly enhanced the expression of immune-related cytokines (IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α). The results of the 16S rDNA sequencing analysis on an IlluminaMiSeq platform showed that SCP normalized Cy-induced gut dysbiosis. SCP ameliorated Cy-dependent changes in the relative abundance of several taxa, shifting the balance back to normal status (e.g., SCP increased beneficial Muribaculaceae, Ruminococcaceae, Bacteroidaceae, and Prevotellaceae while decreasing pathogenic Brevundimonas and Streptococcus). The results of this study suggest an innovative application of citrus pectin as an immunomodulator.