Extraction and characterization of pectin from sugar mango (Mangifera indica L.)

Pectin is a functional technology product by her rheological characteristics. In 2010 in Colombia, there were imported approximately 195 tons and its demand is increasing. The main goal of this research was to extract and characterize the pectin from ripe sugar mango peel. The isolation of pectin material was accomplished by acid hydrolysis, with hydrochloric acid to 0.5 N and ethyl alcohol to 96 % for precipitation and purification. For the extraction of pectin factorial arrangement 32 was used where the two factors evaluated were: pH and temperature, which took the levels 1, 2, 3 and 80, 90, 100 respectively, in a constant time of 60 minutes. There were 27 experimental units equivalent to 550 g of ripe, dry and ground sugar mango peel. The results were evaluated and it was stated that ideal variables (pH 1 and temperature 100 ºC) allow to extract major quantity of pectin, bringing a performance of 15.257±0.04%. The obtained pectin presented the following characteristics: humidity content (4.510 ± 0.80%), ashes content (1.351± 0.07%), alkalinity of the ashes (1.711±1.13%), free acidity (0.859±0.01 mEq free / g carboxyl), equivalent weight (2326.420±54.11 mg / mEq), methoxyl (11,801 ±0.03%), degree of esterification (81.688±024%), anhydrous acid content (82.380±0.17%) and the analysis by infrared spectrophotometry, showed the peaks of functional groups, typical of the obtained pectin and its similarity opposite to a standard pectin. The material studied is a potential source of quality pectin.