The setting characteristics of pectin gels during cooling from 105°C to 25°C and reheating to above 100°C have been determined using a versatile food rheometer capable of small amplitude oscillatory testing. Gel strength development during cooling was linearly correlated to temperature and on reheating the gel softened initially then hardened again as the temperature exceeded about 70°C. The linear parameters (slope, intercept) describing the gel development on cooling were related to pectin concentration up to 0.85 but 1 pectin could not be distinguished from 0.85. On cooling, 75–85 of the gel strength attainable on standing overnight was developed within 30 min. The quick set up on cooling provides the possibility of developing a rapid test method for determining pectin gel prope
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