Pectinolytic liquefaction of apricot, plum, and mango pulps for juice extraction

The investigation envisaged to optimize the conditions of liquefaction of a pricot, plum, and mango pulp with pectinase enzyme for juice extraction. Pe ctinase powder with pectinesterase and polygalacturonase activities of 1.15 and 6.68 units per gram, respectively, was used for liquefaction of pulps. An enzyme concentration of 0.5% was found optimum to liquefy apricot and p lum pulps at 45 degreesC in 5 h to obtain maximum juice yields of 78% and 8 2%, respectively An enzyme concentration of 0.9% and incubation at 45 degre esC for 6 h gave maximum juice yield of 59% from mango pulp. Juices obtaine d after liquefaction of pulps had higher moisture, total soluble solids, to tal sugars, reducing sugars and acidity and lower crude fiber, vitamin C, a nd pH than pulps. The other constituents, namely fat, protein, ash, and bet a -carotene, remained nearly the same in juices as well as pulps.