Innovative approaches to pectin processing: Enhancing techno-functional properties for applications in food and beyond

Pectin, a natural polysaccharide, has a great scope in food industries due to its valuable techno-functional characteristics including stabilization, gelation, and thickening and emulsification. To widen the applicability and address specific challenges associated with food formulations, there is a need to explore some promising techniques to further enhance its techno-functional properties. This review provides an overview of some novel approaches as well their combinations with other techniques to process pectin. Non-thermal techniques such as high-intensity ultrasound (HIU), high hydrostatic pressure processing (HHPP), pulsed electric field (PEF) are the commonly adopted which lead to pectin modification, promotion of enzymatic reactions and hence, improve weight distribution, gelation, emulsifying and rheological properties. Furthermore, use of combined HIU and Enzyme Systemhas emerged as a green and sustainable protocol which improves pectin solubilization and its better dispersion in food products. Apart from this, a controlled oxidation reaction known as Fenton system has been investigated for its scope in pectin modification either used individually or coupled with other methods. Thus, a deep insight of these techniques is need of hour to assist food processors in designing pectin based novel food products along with unlocking the primary factors to be considered and their optimization for future food developments.