Membrane Processing of Citrus Extracts: Effects on Pectinesterase Activity and Cloud Stability

The U.S. team studied the role of cations and pH on thermolabile (TL-PE) and thermostable (TS-PE), permeation in ultrafiltration (UF) membranes, affinity to ion exchange membranes, mechanism of cation and pH activation, and effect on PE stability. An optimum pH and cation concentration exists for activity and UF permeation, which is specific for each cation type. Incomplete release of PE from a pectin complex resulted in low PE binding to cationic and anionic membranes. Incubation of PE at low pH increases the surface hydrophobicity, especially TL-PE, but the secondary structure of TL-PE is not greatly affected. The Israeli team showed that stable cloud colloidal constituents flocculate following the conversion of soluble to insoluble biopolymers. First, formation of pectic acid by pectinesterase activity is followed by the formation of calcium pectate gel. This process initiates a myriad of poorly defined reactions that result in juice clarification. Second, protein coagulation by heat resulted in flocculation of proteinacous bound cloud constituents, particularly after enzymatic pectin degradation. Pectinesterase activity is proposed to be an indirect cause for clarification; whereas binding of cloud constituents is the primary event in clarification by pectate gel and coagulated proteins. Understanding the mechanism of interaction of protein and pectic polymers is key to understanding cloud instability. Based on the above, it was hypothesized that the structure of pectin-protein coagulates plays a key role in cloud instability.