Non-methylesterified pectin from pitaya ( Hylocereus undatus) fruit peel: optimization of extraction and nanostructural characterization

Abstract

The peel of pitaya fruit is a promising source of pectin, and non- or low-methylesterified pectin has multiple bioactivities and application scenarios. In this study, non-methylated pectin was prepared from pitaya peel and the structure was characterized. Single factor experiment and response surface methodology were conducted to optimize the procedure of ultrasonic-assisted extraction for pectin. Under the optimal conditions (solid-liquid ratio of 1:40 g·mL ⁻¹, extraction temperature at 56 °C, extraction time of 25 min and ultrasonic power of 200 W), the pectin yield was up to 9.93% ± 0.97%. Degree of methylesterification and FTIR analysis confirmed that the extracted pectin was almost non-methylesterified. The pectin possessed less linear homogalacturonan (HG) but more rhamnogalacturonan (RG) regions according to the molar ratios of monosaccharides. Meanwhile, the molecular weight of the pectin was 33.52 kDa and the crystalline index was only 0.60%. Furthermore, the nanoscale structure observed by atomic force microscopy showed that the pectin was rich in highly branched polymers. Generally, pitaya peel pectin extracted by ultrasonic-assisted extraction showed a wide range of potential use as a non-or low- methylesterified pectic substance to reach the efficient utilization of fruit waste.

Keywords

Dragon fruit / Response surface methodology / Ultrasonic-assisted extraction / Structure

References

[1] Shah K, Chen J, Chen J, Qin Y. Pitaya nutrition, biology, and biotechnology: a review International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023, 24 18 13986

[2] Chien YC, Chang JC. Net houses effects on microclimate, production, and plant protection of white-fleshed pitaya HortScience. 2019, 54 4 692-700

[3] Santos GBM, Dionísio AP, Magalhães HCR, Abreu FAP, Lira SM, et al. Effects of processing on the chemical, physicochemical, enzymatic, and volatile metabolic composition of pitaya ( Hylocereus polyrhizus (F.A.C. Weber) Britton & Rose) Food Research International. 2020, 127, 108710

[4] Qin Y, Liu Y, Zhang X, Liu J. Development of active and intelligent packaging by incorporating betalains from red pitaya ( Hylocereus polyrhizus) peel into starch/polyvinyl alcohol films Food Hydrocolloids. 2020, 100, 105410

[5] Roriz CL, Heleno SA, Alves MJ, Oliveira MBPP, Pinela J, et al. Red pitaya ( Hylocereus costaricensis) peel as a source of valuable molecules: Extraction optimization to recover natural colouring agents Food Chemistry. 2022, 372, 131344

[6] Saenjum C, Pattananandecha T, Nakagawa K. Antioxidative and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals and related stable paramagnetic species in different parts of dragon fruit Molecules. 2021, 26 12 3565

[7] Chen R, Luo S, Wang C, Bai H, Lu J, et al. Effects of ultra-high pressure enzyme extraction on characteristics and functional properties of red pitaya ( Hylocereus polyrhizus) peel pectic polysaccharides Food Hydrocolloids. 2021, 121, 107016

[8] Xu X, Jiang Y, Yeo QX, Zhou W. Purification and characterization of betacyanin monomers from Hylocereus polyrhizus peel: A comparative study of their antioxidant and antidiabetic activities with mechanistic insights Food Chemistry. 2024, 451, 139467

[9] Chew YM, Hung CH, King VAE. Accelerated storage test of betalains extracted from the peel of pitaya ( Hylocereus cacti) fruit Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2019, 56, 1595-600

[10] Jiang H, Zhang W, Li X, Shu C, Jiang W, et al. Nutrition, phytochemical profile, bioactivities and applications in food industry of pitaya ( Hylocereus spp.) peels: A comprehensive review Trends in Food Science and Technology. 2021, 116, 199-217

[11] Sadowska-Bartosz I, Bartosz G. Biological properties and applications of betalains Molecules. 2021, 26, 2520

[12] Tanabtabzadeh MS, Javanbakht V, Golshirazi AH. Extraction of betacyanin and betaxanthin pigments from red beetroots by chitosan extracted from shrimp wastes Waste and Biomass Valorization. 2019, 10, 641-53

[13] Das M, Saeid A, Hossain MF, Jiang GH, Eun JB, et al. Influence of extraction parameters and stability of betacyanins extracted from red amaranth during storage Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2019, 56, 643-53

[14] Khoo HE, He X, Tang Y, Li Z, Li C, et al. Betacyanins and anthocyanins in pulp and peel of red pitaya ( Hylocereus polyrhizus cv. Jindu), inhibition of oxidative stress, lipid reducing, and cytotoxic effects Frontiers in Nutrition. 2022, 9, 1-11

[15] de Mello FR, Bernardo C, Dias CO, Gonzaga L, Amante ER, et al. Antioxidant properties, quantification and stability of betalains from pitaya ( Hylocereus undatus) peel Ciencia Rural. 2015, 45, 323-28

[16] Thaiudom S, Oonsivilai R, Thaiwong N. Production of colorant powder from dragon fruit ( Hylocerecus polyrhizus) peel: Bioactivity, heavy metal contamination, antimutagenicity, and antioxidation aspects Journal of Food Processing and Preservation. 2021, 45, e15044

[17] Zdunek A, Pieczywek PM, Cybulska J. The primary, secondary, and structures of higher levels of pectin polysaccharides Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 2021, 20, 1101-17

[18] Li Q, Li J, Li H, Xu R, Yuan Y, et al. Physicochemical properties and functional bioactivities of different bonding state polysaccharides extracted from tomato fruit Carbohydrate Polymers. 2019, 219, 181-90

[19] Niu H, Dou Z, Hou K, Wang W, Chen X, et al. A critical review of RG-I pectin: sources, extraction methods, structure, and applications Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2023, 00, 1-21

[20] Shivamathi CS, Moorthy IG, Kumar RV, Soosai MR, Maran JP, et al. Optimization of ultrasound assisted extraction of pectin from custard apple peel: Potential and new source Carbohydrate Polymers. 2019, 225, 115240

[21] Wang W, Ma X, Jiang P, Hu L, Zhi Z, et al. Characterization of pectin from grapefruit peel: A comparison of ultrasound-assisted and conventional heating extractions Food Hydrocolloids. 2016, 61, 730-39

[22] Tongkham N, Juntasalay B, Lasunon P, Sengkhamparn N. Dragon fruit peel pectin: Microwave-assisted extraction and fuzzy assessment Agriculture and Natural Resources. 2017, 51, 262-67

[23] Salazar Ripoll CS, Hincapié-Llanos GA. Evaluation of sources and methods of pectin extraction from fruit and vegetable wastes: A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) Food Bioscience. 2023, 51, 102278

[24] Roman-Benn A, Contador CA, Li MW, Lam HM, Ah-Hen K, et al. Pectin: An overview of sources, extraction and applications in food products, biomedical, pharmaceutical and environmental issues Food Chemistry Advances. 2023, 2, 100192

[25] Du H, Olawuyi IF, Said NS, Lee WY. Comparative analysis of physicochemical and functional properties of pectin from extracted dragon fruit waste by different techniques Polymers. 2024, 16, 1097

[26] Khubber S, Chaturvedi K, Thakur N, Sharma N, Yadav SK. Low-methoxyl pectin stabilizes low-fat set yoghurt and improves their physicochemical properties, rheology, microstructure and sensory liking Food Hydrocolloids. 2021, 111, 106240

[27] Abitbol T, Mijlkovic A, Malafronte L, Stevanic JS, Larsson PT, et al. Cellulose nanocrystal/low methoxyl pectin gels produced by internal ionotropic gelation Carbohydrate Polymers. 2021, 260, 117345

[28] Li M, Jin Y, Wang Y, Meng L, Zhang N, et al. Preparation of Bifidobacterium breve encapsulated in low methoxyl pectin beads and its effects on yogurt quality Journal of Dairy Science. 2019, 102, 4832-43

[29] Celus M, Salvia-Trujillo L, Kyomugasho C, Maes I, Van Loey AM, et al. Structurally modified pectin for targeted lipid antioxidant capacity in linseed/sunflower oil-in-water emulsions Food Chemistry. 2018, 241, 86-96

[30] Zhou X, Feng X, Qi W, Zhang J, Chen L. Microencapsulation of vitamin E by gelatin-high/low methoxy pectin complex coacervates: Effect of pH, pectin type, and protein/polysaccharide ratio Food Hydrocolloids. 2024, 151, 109794

[31] Thirugnanasambandham K, Sivakumar V, Prakash Maran J. Process optimization and analysis of microwave assisted extraction of pectin from dragon fruit peel Carbohydrate Polymers. 2014, 112, 622-26

[32] Dische Z. A new specific color reaction of hexuronic acids The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 1947, 167, 189-98

[33] Bradford MM. A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding Analytical Biochemistry. 1976, 72, 248-54

[34] Jafari F, Khodaiyan F, Kiani H, Hosseini SS. Pectin from carrot pomace: Optimization of extraction and physicochemical properties Carbohydrate Polymers. 2017, 157, 1315-22

[35] Wang L, Zhang B, Xiao J, Huang Q, Li C, et al. Physicochemical, functional, and biological properties of water-soluble polysaccharides from Rosa roxburghii Tratt fruit Food Chemistry. 2018, 249, 127-35

[36] Wang BH, Cao JJ, Zhang B, Chen HQ. Structural characterization, physicochemical properties and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of polysaccharide from the fruits of wax apple Carbohydrate Polymers. 2019, 211, 227-36

[37] Santos P, Aguiar AC, Barbero GF, Rezende CA, Martínez J. Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of capsaicinoids from malagueta pepper ( Capsicum frutescens L.) assisted by ultrasound Ultrasonics Sonochemistry. 2015, 22, 78-88

[38] Thu Dao TA, Webb HK, Malherbe F. Optimization of pectin extraction from fruit peels by response surface method: Conventional versus microwave-assisted heating Food Hydrocolloids. 2021, 113, 106475

[39] Nguyen BMN, Pirak T. Physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of white dragon fruit peel pectin extracted with conventional and ultrasound-assisted extraction Cogent Food and Agriculture. 2019, 5, 1633076

[40] Zaid RM, Mishra P, Tabassum S, Wahid ZA, Sakinah AMM. High methoxyl pectin extracts from Hylocereus polyrhizus's peels: Extraction kinetics and thermodynamic studies International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 2019, 141, 1147-57

[41] Luo F, Zhang Z, Lu F, Li D, Zhou C, et al. Ultrasound modification of pectin and the mechanism of its interaction with cyanidin-3- O-glucoside Food Hydrocolloids. 2024, 152, 109898

[42] Chen H, Liu Y, Zhang J, Jiang Y, Li D. Pectin extracted from dragon fruit Peel: An exploration as a natural emulsifier International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 2022, 221, 976-85

[43] Said NS, Olawuyi IF, Lee WY. Pectin hydrogels: gel-forming behaviors, mechanisms, and food applications Gels. 2023, 9, 732

[44] Zhang MY, Cai J. Preparation of branched RG-I-rich pectin from red dragon fruit peel and the characterization of its probiotic properties Carbohydrate Polymers. 2023, 299, 120144

[45] Deng RX, Zheng YY, Liu DJ, Liu JY, Zhang MN, et al. Ultrasonics sonochemistry the effect of ultrasonic power on the physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of frosted figs pectin Ultrasonics Sonochemistry. 2024, 106, 106883

[46] Cárdenas-Pérez S, Chanona-Pérez JJ, Güemes-Vera N, Cybulska J, Szymanska-Chargot M, et al. Structural, mechanical and enzymatic study of pectin and cellulose during mango ripening Carbohydrate Polymers. 2018, 196, 313-21

[47] Liu D, Lopez-Sanchez P, Martinez-Sanz M, et al. Adsorption isotherm studies on the interaction between polyphenols and apple cell walls: Effects of variety, heating and drying Food Chemistry. 2019, 282, 58-66

[48] Qiu WY, Cai WD, Wang M, Yan JK. Effect of ultrasonic intensity on the conformational changes in citrus pectin under ultrasonic processing Food Chemistry. 2019, 297, 125021

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 32272371).

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2024 Editorial Office of Food Innovation and Advances