Method of preparing fibre-containing pectin product and pectin products hereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for providing a fibre-containing pectin product from a plant material. The method comprises the steps of: (i) providing a plant material comprising pectin, where said pectin is having a degree of esterification of 55% or less, (ii) adding an acidic aqueous solution to the pectin containing plant material obtained in step (i) and providing a suspension of the plant material, where the suspended plant material provides an in situ system by swelling the plant material under conditions where the pectin is kept within the plant material, and (iii) obtaining the fibre-containing pectin product from the suspension provided in step (ii), wherein the plant material is substantially depleted from divalent cations.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A plant material insoluble fibre product (PMIF-product) comprising: a washed and dried fibre-containing pectin product capable of absorbing at least 0.1 g of water/g PMIF-product, wherein said PMIF-product is depleted of divalent metal ions, said PMIF-product has a pH value in the range of 1-5, said PMIF-product has a degree of esterification in the range of 10-55, and said PMIF-product has a degree of acetylation of 25 or less. 
     
     
         2 . The PMIF-product according to  claim 1 , wherein the product forms an unstable emulsion. 
     
     
         3 . The PMIF-product according to  claim 1 , wherein the product precipitates when left at rest. 
     
     
         4 . A plant material soluble fibre product (PMSF-product) comprising: a fibre-containing pectin product, wherein said PMSF-product has a pH value of 2 or above, said PMSF-product has a degree of esterification in the range of 10-55, and said PMSF-product has a degree of acetylation of 25 or less. 
     
     
         5 . The product according to  claim 4 , wherein the product is capable of forming a stable emulsion system. 
     
     
         6 . The product according to  claim 4 , wherein 2% (w/w) of the product is capable of emulsifying at least 5% (w/w) oil. 
     
     
         7 . The product according to  claim 1 , wherein said product has a degree of blockiness of 6. 
     
     
         8 . The product according to  claim 1 , wherein the product has a degree of esterification from 0-55 or a degree of amidation of not more than 50%. 
     
     
         9 . A plant material activated fibre product (PMAF-product) comprising: a fibre-containing pectin product, wherein said PMAF-product has a degree of esterification in the range of 0-40, said PMAF-product has a degree of acetylation of 25 or less, and said PMAF-product has a degree of amidation of 40% or less. 
     
     
         10 . The product according to  claim 9 , wherein the product is capable of forming a stable gel in the presence of calcium (Ca 2+ -ions) in preparations comprising 25% (w/w) solids or less.