Standardization of Technology for Extraction of Pectin from Sweet Orange Peel

Fruit waste, which are highly perishable and seasonal isa problem to the processing industries and pollution monitoring agencies. Suitable methods have to be adopted to utilize them for the conversion into valueadded products. With respect to this, the investigation involves the standardization of techniques for extraction of pectin from sweet orange peel. The highest pectin yield 18% was obtained at pH 4 for 80 min and 80°C temperature and 0.35% oxalic acid concentration gives highest yield. The extracted pectin was brown in colour with 2.3 pH, 82% moisture and 0.76% of ash. The pectin was insoluble in cold water but soluble in hot water and soluble in cold and hot alkali (NaOH). The information generated would be useful for scale up of extraction method at laboratory into commercial production. There is a demand of pectin inexport market. This industry may prove to be a good foreign exchange earner.