Effect of Soxhlet Method Extraction on Characterization of Pectin of Pumpkin Peels

摘要

With the present study was focused on the potential of pumpkin peel as a source of pectin, it was aim to determine a pratical follow-up to the extraction of pectin from pumpkin peels Extraction (Cucurbita spp.) using soxhlet with two different acids. Moreover to investigate the influence of time on pectin yield and to characterize the output, determinations were performed of methoxyl content, acetyl content, equivalent weight and degree of esterification in a laboratory, on a small scale. The result showed higher average yield of pectin obtained by using soxhlet acid extraction (7.72% for nitric acid and 6.80% for citric acid), while the lower yield were obtained with acid extraction without using soxhlet (6.24% for nitric acid and 5.36% for citric acid). Equivalent weight and acetyl contain of extracted pectin with both nitric and citric acids were (1250 g/mol and 0.43) respectively, while methoxyl content was (6.20% and 7.23 %), the degree of esterification was (66.53% and 66.57%) for nitric and citric acid respectively. The results showed that pumpkin peels are a promising commercial source of pectin.