Molecular Weight Of Pectin Research Articles

Exploring the Prebiotic Potentials of Hydrolyzed Pectins: Mechanisms of Action and Gut Microbiota Modulation

The intestinal microbiota is a complex ecosystem where the microbial community (including bacteria) can metabolize available substrates via metabolic pathways specific to each species, often related in symbiotic relations. As a consequence of using available substrates and microbial growth, specific beneficial metabolites can be produced. When this reflects the health benefits for the host, these substrates can be categorized as prebiotics. Given that most prebiotic candidates must have a low molecular weight to be further metabolized by the microbiota, the role in the preliminary biological pretreatment is crucial. To provide proper substrates to the intestinal microbiota, a strategy could be to decrease the complexity of polysaccharides and reduce the levels of polymerization to low molecular weight for the target molecules, driving better solubilization and the consequent metabolic use by intestinal bacteria. When high molecular weight pectin is degraded (partially depolymerized), its solubility increases, thereby improving its utilization by gut microbiota. With regards to application, prebiotics have well-documented advantages when applied as food additives, as they improve gut health and can enhance drug effects, all shown by in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trials. In this review, we aim to provide systematic evidence for the mechanisms of action and the modulation of gut microbiota by the pectin-derived oligosaccharides produced by decreasing overall molecular weight after physical and/or chemical treatments and to compare with other types of prebiotics.

The instability of pectin-based emulsions in the upper digestive tract investigated based on the molecular structure and interfacial properties of pectin

Pectin is a widely used natural emulsifier that is thought to stabilize emulsions in the upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT). However, changes in the structural characteristics and interfacial properties of pectin during its digestive treatment in the upper GIT and the effects on the stability of pectin-based emulsions are still unclear. This study showed that the stability of pectin-based emulsions steadily decreased in the upper GIT. Reductions in the molecular weight of pectin (from 2.74× 105 to 1.61× 105 g/mol) occurred mainly in the stomach, whereas the degree of esterification (from 61.2 % to 42.1 %) decreased throughout the digestive treatment. The change in the structure of pectin reduced its hydrophobicity in the upper GIT, and led to form a cross-linked network with Ca2+ in small intestine rather than adsorbing to the oil-water interface. The behavior was reflected in the increased interfacial tension and the decreases in the interfacial modulus and thickness of pectin. Our insights into the structural characteristics and interfacial properties of pectin and thus into the mechanism of pectin instability in the upper GIT will contribute to the development of more efficient encapsulation methods and improved targeted delivery for active substances or probiotics using pectin-based emulsions.

Systematic multistep extraction process for the total valorization of fiber fractions from fruit seeds

This study explores a systematic multistep extraction process to valorize various fruit seeds (mango, cherry, lemon, pumpkin, avocado, litchi, peach, and apricot) by fractionating and isolating different fiber components. A first mild treatment, i.e., a protease-assisted extraction, was employed to disaggregate the plant cell structure and isolate soluble fibers. Subsequently, the insoluble residue underwent extraction by hot acidic water to solubilize and separate the pectin fraction. The remaining solid material was finally subjected to hydrothermal treatment to recover recalcitrant hemicellulose. Cherry, lemon, and pumpkin seeds emerged as the most advantageous by-products overall, showing great extractable quantities of low molecular weight pectin, pectin oligosaccharides, arabinogalactans, xylan, and xylo-oligosaccharides (extraction yields up to 63% and 68% in the first and third step, respectively). Peach and apricot seeds yielded fiber extracts that were similar to each other but distinct for each fraction, suggesting potential applications in different food formulations, albeit with lower yields. The purity of the extracts increased with each stage, reaching 42.6% for soluble fibers, 67.3% for pectin, and 76.1% for hemicellulose. Mango, avocado, and litchi seeds were less suitable for this method but could be utilized for starch recovery. This cascade process effectively maximizes the utilization of fruit by-products, offering a scalable solution for the sustainable extraction of valuable fibers.

Higher molecular weight pectin inhibits ice crystal growth and its effect on the microstructural and physical properties of pectin cryogels

Understanding the formation of ice crystals is essential for tailoring the microstructure and physical properties of cryogels. This study investigated the effects and mechanisms of pectin molecular weight (Mw) on impacting ice crystal formation. Pectin fractions various Mw (10.13–212.20 kDa) were prepared by hydrothermal method. The solution of high Mw pectin fractions exhibited higher contact angle, lower water freedom, and stronger adsorption of water molecules. The splat experiment and molecular dynamic (MD) results confirmed that higher Mw pectin have stronger ice crystal growth inhibition activity than lower Mw pectin. Furthermore, the pore size distribution of the cryogel increased from 98–203 μm to 105–267 μm as the molecular weight decreased from 212.2 kDa to 121.0 kDa. Additionally, in the higher Mw pectin cryogel, stronger mechanical strength was observed. These findings suggested that changing the molecular weight of pectin has the potential to regulate the ice crystal growth, microstructure and physical properties of frozen products.

Green Extraction of Pectin from Sugar Beet Flakes and Its Application in Hydrogels and Cryogels.

Sugar beet flakes, a by-product of the sugar industry, were used as a source for pectin extraction that was performed using conventional citric acid extraction (CE) and two non-conventional extraction techniques-microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and pulsed ultrasound-assisted extraction (PUAE). The influence of extraction conditions was studied for each technique based on pectin yield and galacturonic acid content, and spectroscopic, chromatographic and colorimetric methods were used for pectin characterization. Better results for pectin yield were achieved through CE (20.80%), while higher galacturonic acid content was measured in pectin extracted using PUAE (88.53 g/100 g). Pectin extracted using PUAE also presented a higher degree of methylation and acetylation. A significant increase in the molecular weight of pectin was observed for the PUAE process (7.40 × 105 g/mol) by comparison with conventional extraction (1.18 × 105 g/mol). Hydrogels and cryogels prepared with pectin from sugar beet flakes also showed differences in physicochemical parameters determined by the method of pectin extraction. Hydrogels had higher bulk density values irrespective of the pectin extraction method, and overall lower values of the textural parameters. Cryogels prepared with pectin from CE showed higher values of the textural parameters of hardness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, gumminess and chewiness, while gels obtained with pectin from MAE and PUAE had higher thermal stability. The results of this study prove that sugar beet flakes can be considered a potential source for pectin production, and the extracted pectin is suitable for obtaining hydrogels and cryogels with physicochemical parameters comparable to the commercial citrus and apple pectin available on the market.

Assessment of the Effectiveness of Gemcitabine, Metformin, Citrus Pectin and Their Combinations on the Growth of Transgrant Walker Carcinosarcoma

One of the important problems of modern society is the prevention and treatment of cancer. To increase the effectiveness of existing methods, it is promising to use biological response modifiers, the combination of which with traditional methods makes it possible to increase the effectiveness of therapy. The article presents the results of experiments studying the combined effects of metformin, low molecular weight pectin and the cytostatic drug gemcitabine on a transplantable tumor — Walker carcinosarcoma 256. The experimental results demonstrated a clear effect of reducing the toxicity of gemcitabine when administered in high doses in combination with pectasol and metformin. It has been shown that with combined therapy, the rates of inhibition of tumor growth and increase in life expectancy are higher than with monotherapy.

Bio-based surfactants derived from pectin

Surfactants derived from renewable resources and synthesized using renewable feedstock and sustainable methods have become a major research focus over the past decade in the surfactant industry. This research presents an approach for rapidly converting readily available polysaccharides, like pectin derived from fruit waste, into safely biodegradable surface-active polymers. Commercially available pectin was modified with n-alkyl amines having different alkyl chain lengths using potassium carbonate as a catalyst. The effect of pectin molecular weight, alkyl chain length and degree of substitution (DS) on surface-active properties of the modified pectin derivatives was studied. Surface tension decreased slightly with lowering molecular weight, whereas interfacial tension decreased dramatically. Cytotoxicity evaluations using human dermal fibroblast, HepG2 and Jurkat cells demonstrated that these polysaccharide-based surfactants exhibit lower cytotoxicity compared to the conventional surfactants such as octyl phenol ethoxylates (i.e., Triton™ X-100), and therefore are more environmentally friendly. Biodegradation studies show that all modified pectins are “ultimately biodegradable” except for Pectin-amide C8 (1:10).

Stomatal opening efficiency is controlled by cell wall organization in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Stomatal function in plants is regulated by the nanoscale architecture of the cell wall and turgor pressure, which together control stomatal pore size to facilitate gas exchange and photosynthesis. The mechanical properties of the cell wall and cell geometry are critical determinants of stomatal dynamics. However, the specific biomechanical functions of wall constituents, for example, cellulose and pectins, and their impact on the work required to open or close the stomatal pore are unclear. Here, we use nanoindentation in normal and lateral directions, computational modeling, and microscopic imaging of cells from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana to investigate the precise influences of wall architecture and turgor pressure on stomatal biomechanics. This approach allows us to quantify and compare the unique anisotropic properties of guard cells with normal composition, lower cellulose content, or alterations in pectin molecular weight. Using these data to calculate the work required to open the stomata reveals that the wild type, with a circumferential-to-longitudinal modulus ratio of 3:1, is the most energy-efficient of those studied. In addition, the tested genotypes displayed similar changes in their pore size despite large differences in wall thickness and biomechanical properties. These findings imply that homeostasis in stomatal function is maintained in the face of varying wall compositions and biomechanics by tuning wall thickness.

Potential role of cell wall pectin polysaccharides, water state, and cellular structure on twice “increase–decrease” texture changes during kohlrabi pickling process

Pickled kohlrabi is a traditional and favored vegetable product in China. During pickling, the hardness, springiness, and chewiness of kohlrabi all experienced a typical change with twice “increase-decrease” trend. However, little is known about its mechanism. In this study, in situ analysis including immunofluorescence, low field nuclear magnetic, and transmission electron microscopy were used to explore the effects of cell wall pectin, water state, and cellular structure on kohlrabi texture changes during pickling. Results revealed that at the early stage, due to the rapid loss of water after three times salting, the cells shrank and the interstitial space reduced, resulting in the first increase on kohlrabi texture. Subsequently, the dehydration-rehydration caused by the first brine processing resulted in the first decrease on kohlrabi texture. Then under the action of PME enzyme, more low-esterified pectin was produced, and chelate-soluble pectin with more branched structure was further formed, leading to another elevation of the sample texture. As the pickling continued, under the combined action of PG and PME, the molecular weight of pectin was decreased and the rigidity of the cell tissue was destroyed, caused kohlrabi texture continued to decline. These researches could provide important information and guidance for better maintaining the texture of pickled vegetables during processing.

Role of cell wall anisotropy on guard cell mechanics in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The function of plant stomata is regulated by nanoscale cellular components and turgor pressure in flanking guard cells that control stomatal pore size to facilitate gas exchange and photosynthesis. Cell wall nanostructure plays a critical role in stomatal behavior. Stomatal aperture is regulated by tuning the mechanical properties of guard cell walls and by water uptake or release by the cells. However, the specific mechanical roles of different wall components, especially in newly maturing guard cells, are unclear. Here, we used a combination of molecular genetics, nanoindentation in normal and lateral directions, computational modeling, and microscopy to investigate the influences of wall components and maturation on wall mechanics and turgor pressure in stomatal guard cells. Lateral indentation measurements allow the unique anisotropic properties of each guard cell to be quantified with respect to age and genotype, including mutants with lower cellulose content and with lower or higher pectin molecular weight. Our results highlight the significance of cellulose in modulating the dynamics of guard cells by affecting wall anisotropy and emphasize the role of pectin modification for tuning stomatal responses to environmental stimuli. Our nanoindentation measurements when combined with finite element modeling allow the wall modulus, anisotropy, and turgor pressure to be measured. We also found that both cell wall mechanics and turgor pressure undergo significant changes during stomatal maturation. The role of cell wall architecture in determining anisotropic wall mechanics is also discussed. Together, these results provide new insights of wall mechanics and their effect on stomatal function and growth in plants.

Antimicrobial high molecular weight pectin polysaccharides production from diverse citrus peels using a novel PL10 family pectate lyase

The discovery of environmentally friendly enzymes that can convert inexpensive and abundant citrus peel pectin into high value-added product is a potential avenue for the citrus peel application. In this study, a novel PL10-family pectate lyase (pelA) was characterized from marine bacterium Echinicola pacifica. PelA was a Ca2+ dependent pectate lyase whose activity was highest at pH 8 and 40 °C. It was capable of degrading polygalacturonic acid (PGA) and citrus peel pectin (CPP), but not apple peel pectin. Notably, PelA hydrolyzed PGA to high molecular weight polysaccharide (average molecular weight 111.4 kDa). Moreover, PelA was also able to degrade CPP from nine distinct citrus species into polysaccharides (average molecular weight ranging from 84.7 to 539.2 kDa) that showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis (88.8 %), Bacillus subtilis (99.8 %), Staphylococcus aureus (92.1 %), Escherichia coli (100.0 %) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (86.4 %). Considering the high market value of pectin in the food industry, PelA's capacity to convert citrus pectin into high molecular weight polysaccharides lays a foundation for its applications.

Microwave-assisted extraction of pectin from grape pomace

The utilization of microwave technique for the pectin extraction from grape pomace (Fetească Neagră and Rară Neagră), its influence on yield, galacturonic acid content, degree of esterification and molecular weight of pectin were analyzed. The optimal conditions of the extraction process were microwave power of 560 W, pH of 1.8 for 120 s. The pectin samples extracted by MAE in optimal conditions were analyzed by comparing with commercial apple and citrus pectin based on FT-IR analysis, thermal behavior, rheological characteristics and microstructure. The FT-IR analysis established the presence of different functional groups which are attributed to the finger print region of extracted pectin, while the rheological behavior presented a good viscoelasticity of pectin solutions. The obtained data assumes that grape pomace has a great potential to be a valuable source of pectin which can be extracted by simple and quick techniques, while maintaining analogous quality to conventional sources of pectin.

High pressure processing improves the texture quality of fermented minced pepper by maintaining pectin characteristics during storage.

Texture quality affects the sensory and market acceptance of fermentation minced pepper (FMP), but it will deteriorate during storage. Thus, high pressure processing (HPP) and thermal pasteurization (TP) were used to improve the texture quality of FMP during storage. The results showed that variations in texture quality and pectin characteristics under HPP and TP treatments were similar during storage. The hardness, cell wall material (CWM) and sodium carbonate-soluble pectin (SSP) content, water-soluble pectin (WSP) molecular weight (Mw ) decreased, while WSP content and sodium chelate-soluble pectin (CSP) Mw increased after storage. HPP-treated FMP showed higher hardness (66.64-85.95 N) than that in TP-treated one (57.23-62.72 N) during storage. Rhamnose (Rha), arabinose, mannose, and glucose were the crucial compositions in three pectins, and their total molar ratios, respectively, reached 89.19% and 87.97% after HPP and TP treatment. However, the molar ratio of most monosaccharide in three pectins decreased after storage. Atomic force microscope images indicated the short chains and branch structures increased but aggregates decreased in most pectin components during storage. Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated FMP hardness was extremely (p<0.01) positively correlated with CWM and SSP content, and extremely (p<0.01) negatively correlated with WSP content. Compared to TP treatment, HPP presented higher hardness, SSP content and Mw , Rha content, CSP Mw , and lower WSP content during storage. Hence, HPP was an effective method to improve the texture quality of FMP by maintaining pectin characteristics during storage. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Softening is one of the main factors affecting market value and consumer preferences for FMP, and it is closely related to the modification and depolymerization of pectin. Changes of texture quality and pectin properties in HPP- and TP-treated FMP during storage were assessed, including hardness, the content, monosaccharide compositions, Mw distribution, and nanostructure of WSP, SSP, and CSP. Compared to TP treatment, HPP could effectively improve the texture quality of FMP by inhibiting pectin degradation during storage. All the findings presented in this study would help to provide new insights into regulating the texture quality of FMP.

Pectin extraction from lime pomace by cold-active polygalacturonase-assisted method

An Antarctic yeast was cultivated to produce and enzymatic extract with polygalacturonase activity, whose biochemical properties were studied. It assisted pectin extraction from lime pomace at 20 °C. The extract produced by Tausonia pullulans 8E had an optimum temperature of 40 °C and optimum pH of 5.0. At 20 °C, it displayed 54% of relative activity. A good pH-stability and thermostability were observed. Hg+2 and Co+2 inhibited its activity in 40 and 11%, respectively. Pectin was obtained from lime pomace at 20 °C, with 15% of yield after 120 min extraction. Uronic acid (46%) and neutral sugars (53%) were determined. Pectin's molecular weight was estimated in the order of 100,000 g mol−1. By anion-exchange chromatography, pectin-linked and free neutral sugars were observed. The high-methoxyl pectin was used to prepare low-calorie gels. It was demonstrated that this cold-active enzyme allows enzymatic-assisted pectin extraction at 20 °C.

Chain conformations and steady-shear viscosity properties of pectic polysaccharides from apple and tomato.

In this study, apple pectin (AP) and tomato pectin (TP) were demonstrated to be a high-ester (74.8%) polysaccharide with the weight-average molecular weight (Mw ) of∼243kDa and a low-ester (45.9%) polysaccharide with the Mw of∼19kDa, respectively. The semi-rigid chain conformations of pectic polysaccharides in NaNO3 aqueous solution were deduced according to the Smidsrød "B values" of AP (0.025) and TP (0.029), while AP and TP exhibited higher stiffness in water due to the electric repulsion of carboxyl groups, which was visually observed by AFM images. Under steady shear, the shear-thickening behaviors of AP and TP in NaNO3 aqueous solutions were observed in the shear rate range of<1s-1, which were attributed to the disruption of the ordered arrangement induced by semi-rigid pectin chains into randomly entangled structure by weak shear force. AP exhibited stronger shear-thickening behavior due to the formation of more entanglements resulted from the higher Mw and longer side chains highly branched at rhamngalacturonan region. This study provides the scientific basis for the construction of the relationship of steady-shear property with chain conformation and molecular weight of pectin.

Влияние низкомолекулярного пектина и метформина на токсичность паклитаксела у крыс с карциносаркомой Уокера

Recently, researchers have been particularly interested in the use of herbal agents in combination therapy of tumors with a spectrum of regulatory effects, low toxicity, and high bioavailability, as well as drugs that indirectly affect the growth and metastasis of tumor cells. The article presents the results of experiments on the study of the combined effect of metformin, low molecular weight pectin and cytostatic agent — paclitaxel on the transplantable tumor — Walker’s carcinosarcoma 256, in order to reduce the toxic effect of the chemotherapy drug. With the combined administration of pectin and paclitaxel (10 mg/kg), metformin and paclitaxel (10 mg/kg), inhibition of tumor growth was observed. On the 25th day, the death of 50% of the animals was observed in the first group, and in the remaining 50%, complete tumor regression was observed. With a single administration of paclitaxel at a single dose of 10 mg / kg of live weight, 62.5% of the animals died in the first 4 days. The combination of drugs (pectin + metformin + paclitaxel) at various single doses of paclitaxel (10, 20, and 25 mg/kg) had an antagonistic effect, showing worse results than the use of each drug with a cytostatic alone (death of animals in the period from 1 to 6 days). Thus, the experimental results demonstrated a clear toxicity reduction effect at high doses of paclitaxel in combination with pectin or metformin.

Characteristics and Release Profile : Formula of Insulin Nanoparticles using Medium Molecular Weight Chitosan and Pectin Polymers

Insulin is a macromolecular polypeptide hormone with low drug stability and permeability along the digestive tract. The nanoparticle delivery system has been proven to be able to increase the bioavailability of per-oral insulin. However, the formulation of insulin nanoparticles using chitosan and pectin polymers has not been widely studied. The purpose of this research is to figure out the physical characteristics and profile of insulin release from nanoparticle formulas made with ionic gelation techniques using chitosan and pectin polymers. The 0.1% insulin nanoparticle formula is made with variations of 2 levels of medium molecular chitosan and pectin concentrations to obtain 4 formulas, i.e. F1 (0.01%; 0.1%), F2 (0.03%; 0.1%), F3 (0.01%; 0.2%), and F4 (0.03%; 0.2%). The optimum formula is determined by the factorial design method contained in the Design Expert program using response characteristics in the form of percentage of the entrapment efficiency and zeta potential value. The selected formula is then tested for particle size and shape, and insulin release profile in vitro. The particle size and morphology are observed with TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope), while the insulin release profile is determined on HCl buffer media pH 1.2 and PBS pH 6.8. The optimization results of the formula show that F1 is the optimum formula with a desirability value of 0.786. The selected formula shows that the entrapment efficiency is 57.66%, the zeta potential is 12.0 mV, the shape of particles is spherical, and the size is &lt;500 nm. In vitro studies show the profile of insulin release from the matrix following the Weibull kinetics model on HCl and Korsmeyer-Peppas media on PBS media, using the Fickian diffusion method. Overall, the insulin nanoparticles obtained have met the expected characteristic of the nanoparticles.

Optimization the conditions of process of production of pectin extracted from the waste of potato peel

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of three variables including temperature (35, 65 and 95°C), time (40, 120 and 200) and pH (1, 2 and 3) on the yield, galacturonic acid percentage and degree of pectin esterification extracted from the potato peels and optimization of the condition of extraction. Response surface method is used to optimize the conditions of extraction. Physicochemical properties of extracted pectin under optimum conditions were compared with commercial citrus and apple pectins by pectin flow behavior tests at different concentrations, FT-IR spectrum and pectin molecular weight. The results showed that the highest extraction yield was 14.87% at 95°C, 120 min time and pH 1. The highest percentage of extracted galacturonic acid pectin in potato peel was 36.37% at 95°C in 120 min and pH 1. The highest degree of esterification of extracted pectin from potato peel was 41.820% at 65°C in 40 min time and pH 3.00. Simultaneous optimization of extracting pectin with the aim of achieving maximum yield was galacturonic acid with 100% desirability at 95°C, 200 min time and pH 1 that in this condition, the yield was 15.23% and galacturonic acid was 38.0712%. The highest stability of extracted pectin emulsion from potato peel was observed at 4°C on the first day. Also, the FT-IR results showed that the strong absorption between 3200-3500 cm-1 in the extracted pectin sample was related to the intracellular and extracellular vibration of the hydrogen bond in the galacturonic acid polymer. The molecular weight of extracted pectin from potato peel under optimum conditions was 53.46 kDa after 30 days of storage at 4 and 23°C with emulsion stability 85.1 and 63.1, respectively. The results of this research showed that extracted pectin from potato peel can be introduced as a source of pectin to the market.

Effects of postharvest ripening on physicochemical properties, microstructure, cell wall polysaccharides contents (pectin, hemicellulose, cellulose) and nanostructure of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa)

Kiwifruit undergoes rapid softening and quality changes after harvest, which has an important impact on consumer appeal, shelf life and market value. Effects of postharvest ripeness on physicochemical properties, microstructure, cell wall fraction (pectin, hemicellulose and cellulose) contents and nanostructure, and pectin molecular weight were investigated. As the postharvest time increased from 0 to 6 days, the contents of total soluble solid and water-soluble pectin increased by 77.4% and 113.0%, respectively; while the content of starch, water insoluble pectin, and hemicellulose decreased by 89.9%, 46.5%, and 33.5%, respectively. Disappearance of starch granules and the increase of intercellular space were observed using SEM. AFM analysis showed that both hemicellulose and pectin depolymerized gradually during storage. Measurements of the molecular weight confirmed the occurrence of depolymerization and degradation of pectin, while the cellulose content, nanostructure, and diameter of individual microfibrils did not change significantly. The findings in current work revealed the quality evolution and related mechanism of kiwifruit during storage.

Impact of Huanglongbing (HLB) on grapefruit pectin yield and quality during grapefruit maturation

Huanglongbing (HLB) is a plant disease responsible for citrus tree decline, increased fruit drop, and deteriorated fruit quality. Citrus pectin is a billion-dollar industry which may be impacted by the HLB epidemic. We compared the physio-chemical properties of pectin in peel from HLB affected grapefruit collected from open-air trees against healthy grapefruit grown under protective screens (CUPS) at two developmental stages to ascertain HLB impacts on pectin. qPCR detected the causal agent of HLB, which determined if the tested fruit was healthy or non-healthy, and peel color and °Brix defined the fruit's maturity. Depending on the maturity of the HLB affected grapefruit there was between a 16%–25% decrease in pectin yield. HLB affected pectin showed significantly (p < 0.05) increased arabinose, galactose, and in immature HLB affected pectin galacturonic acid sugars, resulting in a lower Homogalacturan/Rhamogalacturan I ratio and a lower degree of branching (DBr) compared to healthy peel pectin. HLB affected pectin had a 7% lower outside degree of methylation (DMoutside) and a 28% decreased degree of blockiness (DB). The DB, absolute degree of blockiness (DBabs), degree of methylesterification (DM), and DMoutside of HLB affected pectin indicates a larger number of non-endopolygalacturonase digestible GalA blocks suggesting HLB affected grapefruit may exhibit a more random methylation pattern. Grapefruit maturation resulted in a 20% increase in pectin yield with a 30% decrease in the pectin molecular weight. Understanding HLB's and fruit maturation impact on pectin will provide customers and manufacturers insight into how these factors impact the industry.