A creep study has been made of pectin gels concentrated to 0.5-2.5% in the temperature interval 25 to 50°C. In the region of linear viscoelasticity the pectin gels are capable of being strained both reversibly and irreversibly. The shape of the reversible strain relaxation curves corresponds to the transition region between the glassy and highly elastic states. The temperature dependence of the largest Newtonian viscosity is described by de Guzmán-Arrhenius equation. The break-down enthalpy of the gel cross-links is between 51 and 74 kJ/mole, showing an increase with concentration. © 1979 Dr. Dietrich Steinkopff Verlag.
