Extraction and characterization of crude pectin from jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) and cempedak (Artocarpus integer Spreng.) fruit rind

Jackfruit and cempedak are one of the largest tree-borne fruits and about half of it is the rind. Useful compound such as pectin can be obtained from the rinds of these fruits. Not only that this will reduce byproducts from fruit processing, but also will boost local pectin production industry and contributes to the economy growth. Therefore, the aims of this study were: (i) to determine the most desirable extractant to extract pectin from jackfruit and cempedak fruit rind; (ii) to optimize the extraction process and investigate the physicochemical and rheological properties of the extracted pectin. High methoxyl (HM) pectins with uronic acid content more than 65% were successfully extracted from jackfruit and cempedak fruit rinds using three different acids. Sulfuric acid was the best acid to extract pectin from jackfruit and cempedak rinds as it yielded high amount of pectin (18.6 ± 1.8% and 20.5 ± 0.1%, respectively) and the pectin solution produced has the highest brightness and less coloured (red and yellow). Following this, the pectin extraction process was optimized using Response Surface Methodology. The extraction parameters studied (pH, time, temperature) only showed significant effects on the yield of pectin from jackfruit and cempedak fruit rinds. The optimum parameter for extraction of pectin from jackfruit and cempedak fruit rinds was pH 2, 30 min, 90 oC and pH 2, 60 min, 90 oC, respectively. Using the optimum extraction parameter, the yield, uronic acid content and degree of esterification of jackfruit and cempedak fruit rind pectin were 19.84 ± 0.77% and 19.51 ± 0.35%, 70.67 ± 0.35% and 70.43 ± 1.80%, and 80.96 ± 0.11% and 69.98 ± 0.66%, respectively. The information of jackfruit and cempedak fruit rind pectin from this research made these rinds potential new sources of pectin. This could decrease the waste generated from processing of fruits and at the same time creates opportunity for manufacturer to expand their market as jackfruit and cempedak fruit rind pectin were different than existing commercial citrus peel pectin and its natural-occurring colour was superior for certain industry