February 09, 2025 | Food Chemistry |
Researchers from Universiti Putra Malaysia and Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Nigeria, conducted a study to optimize the extraction of pectin from durian rind using subcritical water extraction (SWE). The research aimed to evaluate the efficiency of SWE compared to conventional acid extraction methods and to characterize the properties of the extracted pectin.
The study employed response surface methodology (RSM) with a Box–Behnken design to determine optimal extraction conditions. The highest pectin yield of 5.43% was achieved at 120 °C, with an extraction time of 18.5 minutes and a sieve size of 100 μm. This yield was approximately 2.07% higher than the yield obtained through conventional acid extraction (3.36%).
Physicochemical, structural, and thermal characteristics of the subcritical water-extracted pectin (SWEP) were assessed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The results showed that SWEP exhibited higher equivalent weight, degree of esterification, methoxy content, anhydrouronic acid content, water holding capacity, and oil holding capacity than the conventionally extracted pectin (CAEP).
The findings indicate that SWE is an effective method for extracting high-quality pectin from durian rind. The process is simplified, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly, suggesting its potential for industrial-scale applications.
