Component Analysis of Disaggregation of Pectin During Plate Module Ultrafiltration

Concentration of commercial lime and citrus was carried out by plate module ultrafiltration with a 300K cut-off membrane with small changes in intrinsic viscosity and 48 and 55% recoveries. Subsequent ultrafiltration of permeates with a 100K cut-off membrane yielded pectins from retentates with lower viscosities and recoveries of 34 and 39%. Component analysis was applied to concentration and viscosity response curves from high performance size exclusion chromatography. Results suggested viscosity loss was due to passage through the membrane of small pectin molecules and/or aggregates released from breakdown of larger pectin aggregates during 300K ultrafiltration. Concentration of pectin with minimum loss of viscosity requires ultrafiltration which insures retention of small pectin aggregates. Improved component analysis was developed for characterizing solution behavior of pectin during processing.