Residue Monograph prepared by the meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee

on Food Additives (JECFA), 82nd meeting 2016

Pectins

This monograph was also published in: Compendium of Food Additive Specifications. Joint
FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), 82nd meeting 2016. FAO JECFA
Monographs 19

© FAO/WHO 2016
 1 of 6

PECTINS

Prepared at the 82nd JECFA (2016) and published in FAO JECFA

Monograph 19 (2016) superseding specifications prepared at the 71st
JECFA (2009) and published in FAO JECFA Monographs 7 (2009). A
group ADI “not specified” was established for pectins and amidated
pectins, singly or in combination at the 25th JECFA (1981).

SYNONYMS INS No. 440

DEFINITION Consists mainly of the partial methyl esters of polygalacturonic acid and
their sodium, potassium, calcium and ammonium salts; obtained by
extraction in an aqueous medium of appropriate edible plant material,
usually citrus fruits or apples; no organic precipitants shall be used
other than methanol, ethanol and isopropanol; in some types a portion
of the methyl esters may have been converted to primary amides by
treatment with ammonia under alkaline conditions. Sulfur dioxide may
be added as a preservative.

The commercial product is normally diluted with sugars for

standardization purposes. In addition to sugars, pectins may be mixed
with suitable food-grade buffer salts required for pH control and
desirable setting characteristics. The article of commerce may be
further specified as to pH value, gel strength, viscosity, degree of
esterification, and setting characteristics.

C.A.S. number 9000-69-5

DESCRIPTION White, yellowish, light greyish or light brownish powder

FUNCTIONAL USES Gelling agent, thickener, stabilizer, emulsifier

CHARACTERISTICS

IDENTIFICATION

Test for pectins Passes test

See description under TESTS

Test for amide group Passes test (amidated pectins only)

Add 2 ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid and 50 ml of 60% ethanol to
0.5 g of the sample, and stir well for 20 min. Transfer to a fritted glass
filter tube wash with six 10 ml portions of the HCl-60% ethanol mixture.
Dissolve in 100 ml distilled water; it may be necessary to add a few
drops 0.1 mol/L sodium hydroxide to achieve solution. Transfer 4 ml of
this solution into a test tube (recommended dimensions 15.5 mm inner
diameter and 146 mm length). Add 1 ml 5 mol/L sodium hydroxide and
mix. The mixture will form a gel. Fill a small glass tube (recommended
dimensions 7.8 mm inner diameter and 79 mm length) with 2.5 ml boric

© FAO/WHO 2016
 2 of 6

acid TS and let glide into the test tube. Close with parafilm and
incubate overnight at 30°. In case of presence of amide groups the
indicator changes its colour from red to green, due to release of
ammonia.
PURITY

Loss on drying (Vol. 4) Not more than 12% (105°, 2 h)

Sulfur dioxide Not more than 50 mg/kg

See description under TESTS

Residual solvents Not more than 1% methanol, ethanol and isopropanol, singly or in
(Vol. 4) combination
See description under TESTS

Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 1%

Vol. 4)
Total insolubles Not more than 3%
See description under TESTS

Nitrogen content (Vol. Not more than 2.5% after washing with acid and ethanol
4)
Galacturonic acid Not less than 65% calculated on the ash-free and dried basis
See description under TESTS

Degree of amidation Not more than 25% of total carboxyl groups of pectin
See description under TESTS

Lead (Vol. 4) Not more than 2 mg/kg

Determine using a method appropriate to the specified level. The
selection of sample size and method of sample preparation may be
based on the principles of the method described in Volume 4 (under
“General Methods, Metallic Impurities.”)

TESTS

IDENTIFICATION
TESTS
Test for Pectins Moisten 0.05 g of the sample with 2-propanol. Add 50 ml of water on a
magnetic stirrer. Adjust pH to 12 using 0.5 mol/l sodium hydroxide and
let the solution remain without stirring for 15 min. Reduce pH to 7.0 with
0.5 mol/l hydrochloric acid. Adjust to 100.0 ml with water. Make up
samples in 1 cm quartz cuvettes as follows:
Buffer Sample soln Water Enzyme soln **)
pH 7.0 *)
Enzyme blank 0.5 ml 1.0 ml 1.0 ml -
Sample blank 0.5 ml - 1.5 ml 0.5 ml
Sample 0.5 ml 1.0 ml 0.5 ml 0.5 ml

© FAO/WHO 2016
 3 of 6

*) Dissolve 6.055 g of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (e.g. TRIZMA

Base, Sigma) and 0.147 g of calcium chloride dihydrate in water to 1 l.
Adjust pH to 7.0 with 1 mol/l hydrochloric acid

**) Dilute pure pectate lyase 1:100 with buffer pH 7.0

Shake the solutions well, and measure the absorbance at 235 nm at 0
and 10 min.

Calculations
A0 = absorbance at 0 min = Sample - (enzyme blank + sample blank)
A10 = absorbance at 10 min = Sample - (enzyme blank + sample blank)

The amount of unsaturated product produced is proportional to the

change in absorbance (A10 - A0). This value should be greater than
0.023. This distinguishes pectins from other gums, which show
essentially no change.
PURITY TESTS

Sulfur dioxide Suspend 100 g of the sample in 500 ml of methanol in a 1000-ml

round-bottom flask, which is provided with a gas inlet tube reaching
almost the bottom and connected to the neck with a reflux condenser.
Prepare a glass joint connection from the condenser to an absorption
flask or U-tube containing 10 ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution
neutralized to methyl red TS. Connect the gas inlet tube with an
oxygen-free source of carbon dioxide or nitrogen, and maintain a gas
stream so as to cause steady bubbling. As soon as the apparatus is
flushed free of air, pour 30 ml of hydrochloric acid solution (10 ml conc.
HCl + 20 ml H2O) into the reflux condenser, and immediately connect
the absorption flask or U-tube. Heat slowly until methanol starts
refluxing, and reflux gently for 2 h. Disconnect the apparatus and titrate
the hydrogen peroxide solution against methyl red TS with 0.01 mol/l
sodium hydroxide. Each ml of 0.01 mol/l sodium hydroxide corresponds
to 0.32 mg of SO2.

Total insolubles Dry a 70 mm glass fiber filter paper (GF/B (Whatman code 1821 070) in
an oven with fan set at 105° for about 1 h. Transfer the filter paper to a
desiccator containing silica gel and allow to cool. Weigh the paper (M1).
Weigh about 1 g (= S) of the sample into a 250-ml beaker. Add 5 ml of
2-propanol to disperse the sample. While stirring magnetically, add 100
ml of 0.03 mol/l sodium hydroxide containing 0.1% (w/w) ethylene
diamine tetra-acetic acid (Na salt), which has been filtered through
GF/B paper. Stir for about 30 min at room temperature, then heat to
boiling (remove heat if excessive foaming occurs). Filter the hot solution
through the glass fiber paper under vacuum using, e.g. a vacuum
filtration kit with 3 piece Hartley funnel (70 cm), with heat resistant
plate. Rinse the beaker five times and filter the rinsings with 100 ml of
warm (about 50°) water that has been filtered through GF/B paper.
Dry the filter paper with the residue at 105° for 1 h. Transfer to
desiccator containing silica gel and leave to cool. Weigh the paper (M2).
Calculate the percentage of total insolubles from

Total insolubles (%) = [(M2 - M1)/S] x 100

© FAO/WHO 2016
 4 of 6

Galacturonic acid and Weigh 5 g of the sample to the nearest 0.1 mg, and transfer to a
Degree of amidation suitable beaker. Stir for 10 min with a mixture of 5 ml of hydrochloric
acid TS, and 100 ml of 60% ethanol. Transfer to a fritted-glass filter
tube (30 to 60 ml capacity) and wash with six 15-ml portions of the HCl-
60% ethanol mixture, followed by 60% ethanol until the filtrate is free of
chlorides. Finally wash with 20 ml of ethanol, dry for 2.5 h in an oven at
105°, cool and weigh. Transfer exactly one-tenth of the total net weight
of the dried sample (representing 0.5 g of the original unwashed
sample) to a 250-ml conical flask and moisten the sample with 2 ml of
ethanol TS. Add 100 ml of recently boiled and cooled distilled water,
stopper and swirl occasionally until a complete solution is formed. Add
5 drops of phenolphthalein TS, titrate with 0.1 mol/l sodium hydroxide
and record the results as the initial titre (V1).

Add exactly 20 ml of 0.5 mol/l sodium hydroxide TS, stopper, shake

vigorously and let stand for 15 min. Add exactly 20 ml of 0.5 mol/l
hydrochloric acid and shake until the pink colour disappears. Titrate
with 0.1 mol/l sodium hydroxide to a faint pink colour which persists
after vigorous shaking; record this value as the saponification titre (V2).
Quantitatively transfer the contents of the conical flask into a 500-ml
distillation flask fitted with a Kjeldahl trap and a water-cooled
condenser, the delivery tube of which extends well beneath the surface
of a mixture of 150 ml of carbon dioxide-free water and 20.0 ml of 0.1
mol/L hydrochloric acid in a receiving flask. To the distillation flask add
20 ml of a 1-in-10 sodium hydroxide solution, seal the connections, and
then begin heating carefully to avoid excessive foaming. Continue
heating until 80-120 ml of distillate has been collected. Add a few drops
of methyl red TS to the receiving flask, and titrate the excess acid with
0.1 mol/l sodium hydroxide recording the volume required, in ml, as S.
Perform a blank determination on 20.0 ml of 0.1 mol/l hydrochloric acid,
and record the volume required, in ml, as B. The amide titre is (B - S).

Transfer exactly one-tenth of total net weight of the dried sample

(representing 0.5 g of the original unwashed sample) and wet with
about 2 ml ethanol in a 50-ml beaker. Dissolve the pectin in 30 ml of 0.1
mol/l sodium hydroxide. Let the solution stand for 1 h with agitation at
room temperature. Transfer quantitatively the saponified pectin solution
to a 50-ml measuring flask and dilute to the mark with distilled water.
Transfer 25 ml of the diluted pectin solution to a distillation apparatus
and add 20 ml of Clark's solution, which consists of 100 g of
magnesium sulfate heptahydrate and 0.8 ml of concentrated sulphuric
acid and distilled water to a total of 180 ml. This apparatus consists of a
steam generator connected to a round-bottom flask to which a
condenser is attached. Both steam generator and round-bottom flask
are equipped with heating mantles.

Start the distillation by heating the round-bottom flask containing the

sample. Collect the first 15 ml of distillate separately in a measuring
cylinder. Then start the steam supply and continue distillation until 150
ml of distillate have been collected in a 200-ml beaker. Add
quantitatively the first 15 ml distillate and titrate with 0.05 mol/l sodium
hydroxide to pH 8.5 and record volume required, in ml, as A.

© FAO/WHO 2016
 5 of 6

Perform a blank determination on 25 ml distilled water. Record the

required volume, in ml, as A0. The acetate ester titre is (A - A0).
Calculate degree of amidation (as % of total carboxyl groups) by the
formula:

B-S
100 x
V1  V2  (B - S) - (A - A0)

Calculate mg of galacturonic acid by the formula:

19.41 x [V1 + V2 + (B – S) – (A – A0)]

The mg of galacturonic acid obtained in this way is the content of one-

tenth of the weight of the washed and dried sample. To calculate %
galacturonic acid on a moisture- and ash-free basis, multiply the
number of mg obtained by 1000/x, x being the weight in mg of the
washed and dried sample.

NOTE 1: If the pectin is known to be of the nonamidated type, only V1

and V2 need to be determined and (B - S) may be regarded as zero.
NOTE 2: For pectins from apple or citrus (A - A0) is usually insignificant
in calculating galacturonic acid and degree of amidation.
NOTE 3: If desired, calculate degree of esterification (as % of total
carboxyl groups) by the formula:

V2 - (A - A0)
100 x
V1  V2  (B - S) - (A - A0)

NOTE 4: If desired, calculate degree of acetate ester (as % of total

carboxylic groups from galacturonic acid) by the formula:

A - A0
100 x
V1  V2  (B - S) - (A - A0)

Residual solvents Determine residual solvents using headspace gas chromatography

(Vol. 4) (Method I)

Internal standard solution: Add 50.0 ml water to a 50 ml vial and seal.

Accurately weigh and inject 15 µl of 3-methyl-2-pentanone through the
septum and reweigh to within 0.01 mg.

Standard solution: Add 50.0 ml water to a 50 ml vial and seal.

Accurately weigh and inject 15 µl ethanol and weigh to within 0.01mg.
Inject 15 µl isopropanol through the septum and reweigh the vial.

Blank solution: Add 5.0 ml of water and pipette 1.0 ml of the internal
standard solution into a headspace vial. Seal the vial and mix the
contents using a vortex mixer.

© FAO/WHO 2016
 6 of 6

Calibration solution: Add 4.0 ml of water into the headspace vial.

Pipette 1.0 ml each of the internal standard solution and the standard
solution. Seal the vial and mix the contents using a vortex mixer.

Preparation of sample: Accurately weigh 0.500+0.001 g of sample in a

small weighing boat. Pipette 5 ml of water and 1 ml internal standard
solution into a headspace vial. Add the sample carefully to prevent
clumping of sample at the bottom of the vial. Seal the vial and mix the
contents using a vortex mixer. Do not shake the sample vial.

Follow the procedure described in Vol. 4.

© FAO/WHO 2016