1. Presentation

1.1 Introduction

The pectin contained in fruit has always been used in situ by housewives to jellify jams. In 1825, Frenchman J. Braconnot isolated it for the first time and named it "pectin" from the Greek word pektos (firm/rigid).

It was only at the beginning of the 20th century that pectin was industrially extracted, initially to compensate for the low pectin content of certain fruits. Today, pectin is widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries for its gelling, stabilizing and viscosifying properties.