MARACUJA-DO-MATO (PASSIFLORA CINCINNATA MAST.) JELLY DEVELOPED WITH PEQUI (CARYOCAR BRASILIENSE CAMB.) PEEL PECTIN AND COMMERCIAL PECTIN: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

The pequi peel corresponds to approximately 80% of the fruit's weight and is often discarded. However, it is possible to extract pectin from this co-product. In this sense, the purpose of this study was to promote the extraction of pectin from the peel of the pequi using citric acid, evaluating its yield and degree of esterification, as well as comparing it with the commercial pectin in the formulation of maracuja-do-mato jelly. A yield of 29.9% was obtained in the extraction of the gelling agent, which was characterized as low-esterification pectin (36.3%). The maracuja-do-mato jelly developed from pectin extracted from the peel of the pequi was accepted by the tasters, reaching average grades above 7.0 for four of the five attributes evaluated, however, it differed statistically from the jelly produced with commercial pectin in appearance, color, and taste. Thus, pequi peel can be considered a viable alternative for pectin extraction.