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Updated: Jan 15, 2026

Molecular Entanglement and Electrospinnability of Biopolymers
Published on: September 3, 2014
Pectin-dominated colloidal instability in cloudy pomelo juice: Morphological and rheological properties after
1Shanghai Food Safety and Engineering Technology Research Center, Bor S. Luh Food Safety Research Center, Key Lab of Urban Agriculture Ministry of Agriculture, School of Agriculture & Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
Abstract:
Cloud loss is a key quality issue in citrus juice, hindering its market development. The role of endogenous components in pomelo juice cloud stability remains unclear. This study investigated the relationship between pectin/protein and cloud stability of pomelo juice using enzyme digestion with pectinase complex (Pea), pectin methylesterase (PME), pectin lyase (PL) and papain (Pap). Compositional analysis, microscopy, and rheology were employed to assess these effects. Treatment with Pea, PME, or PL reduced juice stability by 75-80 %, viscosity by 38-48 %, and pectin content by 26-56 %, causing lower viscosity but higher moduli, suggesting altered viscoelasticity. Morphological observations (e.g., AFM) showed pectinases induced aggregation of spherical particles, suggesting structural disruption of cloud particles. In contrast, control and Pap-treated samples exhibited branched fiber morphology with spherical particles attached, indicating Pap had no significant effect on particle structure. These findings suggest pectin forms branched framework supporting cloud particles and might hinder protease access.
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