Sains Malaysiana 41(1)(2012): 41–45

Extraction and Characterization of Pectin from Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus Polyrhizus) using Various Extraction Conditions

(Pengekstrakan dan Pencirian Pektin daripada Buah Naga (Hylocereus polyrhizus) Menggunakan Pelbagai Keadaan Pengekstrakan)

Norazelina Sah Mohd Ismail & Nazaruddin Ramli

Food Science Program, School of Chemical Sciences and food Technology

Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

43600 Bangi, Selangor D.E.Malaysia

Norziah Mohd Hani

School of Industry Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden

Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Zainudin Meon

Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute

43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Received: 7 February 2011 / Accepted: 7 June 2011

ABSTRACT

The extraction of pectin from dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) peels under three different extraction conditions was identified as an alternative source of commercial pectin. In this work, dried alcohol-insoluble residues (AIR) of dragon fruit peels were treated separately with 0.25% ammonium oxalate/oxalic acid at a pH of 4.6 at 85oC; 0.03 M HCl at a pH of 1.5 at 85oC; and de-ionized water at 75oC. The pectin obtained from these methods was compared in terms of yield, physicochemical properties and chemical structure. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was used in the identification of dragon fruit pectins. The results showed that the pectin yield (14.96-20.14% based on dry weight), moisture content (11.13-11.33%), ash content (6.88-11.55%), equivalent weight (475.64-713.99), methoxyl content (2.98-4.34%), anhydrouronic acid (45.25-52.45%) and the degree of esterification (31.05-46.96%) varied significantly (p < 0.05) with the various extraction conditions used. Pectin extracted with ammonium oxalate gave the highest yield of pectin, with high purity and low ash content. Based on the value of methoxyl content and the degree of esterification, dragon fruit pectin can be categorized as low-methoxyl pectin.

Keywords: Alcohol insoluble residue; dragon fruit; extraction conditions; pectin

ABSTRAK

Pengekstrakan pektin daripada kulit buah naga (Hylocereus polyrhizus) dengan menggunakan tiga keadaan pengekstrakan yang berbeza telah dikenalpasti sebagai sumber alternatif kepada pektin komersial. Dalam kajian ini, pepejal tak larut alkohol (AIR) kulit buah naga telah diperlakukan secara berasingan dengan 0.25% ammonium oksalat/ asid oksalik pada pH 4.6 pada suhu 85oC; 0.03 M HCl pada pH1.5 pada suhu 85oC; dan air ternyahion pada suhu 75oC. Pektin yang diperolehi daripada kaedah ini dibandingkan dari segi hasil, ciri fiziko-kimia dan struktur kimia. . Spektroskopi infra- merah (FTIR) digunakan dalam penentuan pektin buah naga. Keputusan menunjukkan hasil pektin (14.96- 20.14% berdasarkan berat kering), kandungan air (11.13- 11.33%), kandungan abu (6.88- 11.55%), beratara (475.64- 713.99), kandungan metoksil (2.98- 4.34%), asid anhidro uronik (42.25- 52.45%) dan darjah pengesteran (31.05- 46.96%) berbeza secara signifikan (p< 0.05) dengan pelbagai keadaan pengekstrakan yang digunakan. Pektin yang diekstrak dengan ammonium oksalat memberikan hasil pektin tertinggi, dengan ketulenan tinggi dan rendah kandungan abu. Berdasarkan kandungan metoksil dan darjah pengesteran, pektin buah naga boleh dikategorikan sebagai pektin metoksil rendah.

Kata kunci: Buah naga; keadaan pengekstrakan; pepejal tak larut alkohol; pektin

REFERENCES

AOAC 1980. Official Methods of Analysis. 13th ed, Washington D.C.

Cheah, L.S. & Wan, M. Zulkarnain. 2008. Status of pitaya cultivation in Malaysia (ed. D.O. Agriculture), Putrajaya.

FAO. 1969. Nutrition meetings of the FAO, pp. 133.

Food Chemical Codex. 1996. IV monographs. pp. 283.Washington DC: National Academy Press.

Gnanasambandam, R. & Proctor, A. 1999. Preparation of soy hull pectin. Food Chemistry 65(4): 461-467.

Happi, E.T., Ronkart, S.N., Robert, C., Wathelet, B. & Paquot, M. 2008. Characterisation of pectins extracted from banana peels (Musa AAA) under different conditions using an experimental design. Food Chemistry 108: 463-471.

Hoa, T.T., Clark, C.J., Waddell, B.C. & Woolf, A.B. 2006. Postharvest quality of Dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) following disinfesting hot air treatments. Postharvest Biology and Technology 41: 62-69.

Joye, D.D. & Luzio, G.A. 2000. Process for selective extraction of pectins from plant material by differential pH. Carbohydrate Polymers 43: 337-342.

Kalapathy, U. & Proctor, A. 2001. Effect of acid extraction and alcohol precipitation conditions on the yield and purity of soy hull pectin. Food Chemistry 73: 393-396.

Koubala, B.B., Mbome, L.I., Kansci, G., Tchouanguep Mbiapo, F., Crepeau, M.J., Thibault, J.F. & Ralet, M.C. 2008a. Physicochemical properties of pectins from ambarella peels (Spondias cytherea) obtained using different extraction conditions. Food Chemistry 106: 1202-1207.

Koubala, B.B., Kansci, G., Mbome, L.I., Crépeau, M.J., Thibault, J.F. & Ralet, M.C. 2008b. Effect of extraction conditions on some physicochemical characteristics of pectins from “Améliorée” and “Mango” mango peels. Food Hydrocolloids 22(7): 1345-1351.

Levigne, S., Ralet, M.-C. & Thibault, J.-F. 2002. Characterisation of pectins extracted from fresh sugar beet under different conditions using an experimental design. Carbohydrate Polymers 49: 145-153.

Liu, Y., Shi, J. & Langrish, T.A.G. 2006. Water-based extraction of pectin from flavedo and albedo of orange peels. Chemical Engineering Journal 120: 203-209.

Mesbahi, G., Jamaliana, J. & Farahnaky, A. 2005. A comparative study on functional properties of beet and citrus pectins in food systems. Food Hydrocolloids 19: 731-738.

Miyamoto, A. & Chang, K.C. 1992. Extraction and physicochemical characterization of pectins from sunflower head residue. Can. Inst. Food Technol 57: 1439-1445.

Mollea, C., Chiampo, F. & Conti, R. 2008. Extraction and characterization of pectins from cocoa husks: A preliminary study. Food Chemistry 107: 1353-1356.

Monsoor, M.A. 2005. Effect of drying methods on the functional properties of soy hull pectin. Carbohydrate Polymers 61: 362-367.

Muhamadzadeh, J., Sadeghi-Mahoonak A, R., Yaghbani, M. & Aalami, M. 2010. Extraction of Pectin from Sunflower Head Residues of Selected Iranian Caltivars. World Applied Sciences Journal 8: 21-24.

Nerd, A., Gutman, F. & Mizrahi, Y. 1999. Ripening and postharvest behaviour of fruits of two Hylocereus species (Cactaceae). Postharvest Biology and Technology 17: 39-45.

Owens, H.S., McCready, R.M., Shepard, A.D., Schultz, T.H., Pippen, E.L., Swenson, H.A., Miers, J.C., Erlandsen, R.F. & Maclay, W.D. 1952. Methods used at Western Regional Research Laboratory for Extraction of Pectic Materials. pp. 9. USDA Bur. Agric. Ind. Chem.

Ruzainah Ali Jaafar, Ahmad Ridhwan bin Abdul Rahman, Nor Zaini Che Mahmod & R.Vasudevan. 2009. Proximate Analysis of Dragon Fruit (Hylecereus polyhizus). American Journal of Applied Sciences 6: 1341-1346.

Yeoh, S., Shi, J. & Langrish, T.A.G. 2008. Comparisons between different techniques for water-based extraction of pectin from orange peels. Desalination 218: 229-237.

*Corresponding author; email: naza@ukm.my