Dielectric barrier discharge plasma-assisted extraction of Rhamnogalacturonan-I pectin from pomelo peel: Structural
Jing Wen1, Jingyang Wang2, Huining Lai2
1School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510640, China; Sericultural & Agri-Food Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510610, China.
Abstract:
Pomelo peel, a major byproduct of pomelo processing, was utilized to isolate rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) pectin via a novel approach combining low-concentration alkaline extraction with dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment, followed by characterization. The extracted pectin (DAP) was characterized by its esterification degree, monosaccharide composition, molecular weight, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), triple-helix structure, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results revealed that DBD increased its RG-I content while preserving its overall structure. Additionally, the effects of DAP, oil phase, CaCO₃ concentration, and glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) concentration on the properties of the resulting emulsion gel were investigated. In vitro release studies indicated that the emulsion gel followed the Korsmeyer-Peppas model, demonstrating controlled-release behavior. After simulated in vitro digestion, 70% of the encapsulated naringenin available for release in intestine. This study provides a theoretical foundation for the green extraction of RG-I pectin from pomelo peel and application in delivery systems.
