Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 14, 2026

Methods for the Self-integration of Megamolecular Biopolymers on the Drying Air-LC Interface
Published on: April 7, 2017
Galactan side chains dominate thermal aggregation of RGI-Rich pectin during drying resulting poor solubility
Qi Wang1, Jiayun Xu1, Huan Cheng2
1Ningbo Global Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Ningbo, 315100, China; College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Intelli-gent Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Agri-food Resources and High-value Utilization, Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory of Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
Abstract:
Rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) pectin, abundant in fruit and vegetable waste, exhibits great potential for applications in the food and cosmetics industries. However, RGI-rich pectin tends to aggregate during heat-drying, leading to poor solubility, which severely restricts its utilization. This study delves into the role of RGI side chain structures in aggregation. Different RGI-rich pectins were extracted from citrus and potato and modified enzymatically. The results showed that the solubility of the hydrolyzed pectins (arabinose or galactose side chain shortened to about 50 % of their original length, respectively) was significantly improved, even more than doubled for citrus RGI-rich pectin. Galactose side chain removal showed a more pronounced effect. Meanwhile, the soluble and insoluble fractions were separated, and their structural characteristics were determined. The results showed that the insoluble fraction was found to have a higher length of arabinose and galactose side chains, with greater branching, which contributed to tighter molecular conformations. Additionally, the introduction of urea to disrupt inter-molecular hydrogen bonding significantly enhanced solubility, emphasizing that hydrogen bonds mediate entanglement of RG-I side chains. These findings provide new insights into the thermal aggregation mechanism of RGI-rich pectin, paving the way for strategies to boost its solubility and industrial application performance.
Related Concept Videos
Cellulose and Pectic Polysaccharides
As a cell matures, its cell wall specializes according to its type. For example, the...
Oligosaccharide Assembly
Multiple sugar molecules that may or may...
Physical Properties Affecting Solubility
As for any solution, the solubility of a gas in a liquid is affected by the attractive intermolecular forces between solute and solvent species. Unlike solid and liquid solutes, however, there is no solute-solute intermolecular attraction to overcome when a gaseous solute dissolves in a liquid solvent since the atoms or molecules comprising a gas are far separated and experience negligible interactions. Consequently, solute-solvent interactions are the sole...
Cell Adhesion in Plants
Pectins are complex heteropolymers mainly composed of negatively-charged α-D-glucopyranosyl uronic acid and some neutral glycosyl residues such as α-L-rhamnopyranose, α-L-arabinofuranose,...
Protein Folding Quality Check in the RER
Factors Affecting Solubility

