Pectins in Processed Fruits and Vegetables: Part III—Texture Engineering

Abstract

Current interest in controlling the textural and rheological properties of processed fruit and vegetable products has stimulated research on the biochemistry of the cell wall, with particular reference to pectin and its degradation. This review covers the literature over the last decade with respect to pectin engineering in the field of fruit and vegetable processing. Several applications, illustrating that refined manipulation of chemical and/or enzymatic pectin degradation can be used as a tool to improve the texture/rheology of thermally processed and frozen fruit and vegetable products, are described. The discussion includes an evaluation of the role of novel technologies such as high-pressure processing in pectin engineering of processed fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, the possible role of pectin-related enzymes other than pectin methylesterase (PME) and polygalacturonase (PG) and of the nontraditional, ferulic acid-mediated cross-linking process is discussed. Finally, new trends, challenges, and suggestions for future pectin engineering research are covered in this review.

Pectin methylesterase and its proteinaceous inhibitor: a review

“…This strengthening effect of the middle lamella matrix is often deliberately pursued through controlled stimulation of endogenous PME activity, for example, by means of a mild temperature or hydrostatic pressure pretreatment, prior to the actual conservation process. [171][172][173] Supplementing these pretreatments by calcium soaking further increases the firmness improvement. 172 In cases where a (thermal) pretreatment would activate detrimental enzymes or where only low amounts of endogenous PME are present, application of exogenous PME through enzyme infusion can be performed (e.g., the commercial preparation NovoShape from Novozymes).…”

“…140,[180][181][182][183] As mentioned in Section 2.5.2, exogenous PME may be applied in texture engineering of thermally processed intact fruits and vegetables, for example, via enzyme infusion. 173 PMEs can also be useful for the commercial production of tailormade pectins for specific (novel, food or non-food) applications. As generally known, pectin is often used as food additive, mainly because of its gelling properties (through the formation of either calcium or acid gels).…”

Effect of thermal and high pressure processes on structural and health-related properties of carrots (Daucus carota)

“…Besides membrane damage and the associated turgor pressure loss, b-eliminative depolymerisation of pectin is the main cause for thermal softening of carrots (Van Buggenhout, Sila, Duvetter, Van Loey, & Hendrickx, 2009). This b-eliminative depolymerisation reaction is accelerated at higher temperatures (Sila, Smout, Elliot, Van Loey, & Hendrickx, 2006).…”

The effect of thermal processing on sensory properties, texture attributes, and pectic changes in broccoli

“…Heat loosens the structure of broccoli due to changes in the content of pectins which are found mainly in the cell wall and middle lamella. The key changes include deesterification and the subsequent formation of calcium bridges between free carboxyl groups of adjacent pectin molecules (Wu & Chang 1990;Lin & Chang 2005;Sila et al 2009;Van Buggenhout et al 2009;Christiaens et al 2012). Changes in the texture of thermally processed broccoli resulting from variations in the content of pectin fractions have been weakly investigated.…”