Molecules (May 2022)

Red Orange and Bitter Orange IntegroPectin: Structure and Main Functional Compounds

  • Antonino Scurria,
  • Marzia Sciortino,
  • Ana Rosa Garcia,
  • Mario Pagliaro,
  • Giuseppe Avellone,
  • Alexandra Fidalgo,
  • Lorenzo Albanese,
  • Francesco Meneguzzo,
  • Rosaria Ciriminna,
  • Laura M. Ilharco

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27103243
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 27, no. 10
p. 3243

Abstract

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DRIFT, HPLC-MS, and SPME-GC/MS analyses were used to unveil the structure and the main functional compounds of red (blood) orange (Citrus sinensis) and bitter orange (Citrus aurantium). The IntegroPectin samples show evidence that these new citrus pectins are comprised of pectin rich in RG-I hairy regions functionalized with citrus biophenols, chiefly flavonoids and volatile molecules, mostly terpenes. Remarkably, IntegroPectin from the peel of fresh bitter oranges is the first high methoxyl citrus pectin extracted via hydrodynamic cavitation, whereas the red orange IntegroPectin is a low methoxyl pectin. C. aurantium IntegroPectin has a uniquely high concentration of adsorbed flavonoids, especially the flavanone glycosides hesperidin, naringin, and eriocitrin.

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