Pectin: A new perspective from the biorefinery standpoint

Pectin is a natural product of central importance in the emerging biorefinery that uses fruit waste as a raw material. Generally obtained from lemon peel or from apple pomace, pectin is mainly used as a thickener and a stabilizer in the food industry. Due to its unique chemical properties and biochemical activity, however, its use is growing in many other sectors. Providing a unified view of the main research and utilization trends, this study identifies open opportunities toward larger scale production of a valued biopolymer that, we argue, will shortly emerge as a central product of the biorefinery, and of the citrus-based biorefinery in particular. (C) 2015 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd