Oxidative cross-linking of pectic polysaccharides from sugar beet pulp

Oxidative cross-linking of three beet pectin extracts with hydrogen peroxide/peroxidase resulted in an increase in viscosity at low concentrations and in the formation of a gel at higher concentrations. Gels were formed using concentrations of 1.5% for an autoclave preparation and one obtained by an acid extraction and of 3% for a second autoclaved extract. It was shown that in the autoclave extracts only rhamnogalacturonans and possibly the arabinans participated in the cross-linking reaction. Cross-linking of the autoclave extracts with ammonium persulfate resulted in a decrease in reduced viscosity and molecular weight, although ferulic acid dehydrodimers were formed. Treatment of the acid extracted pectin with ammonium persulfate gave a slow increase in viscosity and the formation of a high-molecular-weight population was observed. For both oxidative systems, the 8-5 dehydrodimer was predominant after cross-linking.