Resumen

D´ADDOSIO, R et al. Obtainment and characterization of pectin since of the peel of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Degener). Rev. Fac. Agron. [online]. 2005, vol.22, n.3, pp.241-251. ISSN 0378-7818.

In this study the influence of the skin color (greenish-white, greenish-yellow and yellow) and of the extracting agent (HCl, H₃PO₄, H₃PO₄-(NaPO₃) ₆) on the pectin of the dry peel of passion fruit was analized. The content of pectin was determined through the method of acid hydrolysis under the following extracting conditions pH: 3.0, temperature: 90-95ºC heating period: 90 minutes. The quality of the pectin was evaluated by means of the analysis of the humidity, ashes, equivalent weight, metoxyle, anhydrouronic acid, esterification, gelling period, relative viscosity and infrared spectrum. The maximun yield of pectin obtained was 18,45% when H₃PO₄-(NaPO₃) ₆ was used as extracting agent; whereas in terms of quality the pectin was better when HCl was used as extracting agent, with a content of anhydrouronic acid and metoxyle of 78% and 9,9%, respectively. The peel of the passion fruit in the yellow state of ripeness showed the highest content of pectin and the greenish-white state of ripeness showed the best gelling properties. The IR spectrometry confirmed that the pectin was of a high metoxyle. The analysis of the minerals threw the following results: calcium 0,10 to 0,15%, magnesium 0,05 to 0,08% and sodium 0,02 to 0,04%. The pectin of passion fruit peel does not offer unusual characteristics that would point to some potential commercial disadvantage.

Palabras clave : passion fruit; pectin; extracting agent; skin color.