Pectin — The Natural Gelling Agent
for Food, Beverage & Pharma
MAPECTIN Pectin from Maple Biotech: High Methoxyl (HM) and Low Methoxyl (LM) grades for jams, jellies, dairy, beverages, bakery, confectionery, and pharmaceutical applications. HALAL, KOSHER, E440 approved.
What is Pectin? — The World's Favourite Natural Gelling Agent
Pectin is a naturally occurring, plant-based polysaccharide (complex carbohydrate) found in the cell walls of all higher plants. It is most concentrated in the peel of citrus fruits (orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit) and in apple pomace — the solid by-product of apple juice and cider production. Commercial pectin is extracted from these fruit by-products using hot water and mild acid, then purified, dried, and standardised.
Pectin is the most widely used gelling agent in the food industry worldwide — responsible for the characteristic texture of jams, jellies, marmalades, fruit gels, yoghurt-fruit preparations, and many other products. It is also a recognised dietary fibre (soluble fibre) and is used in pharmaceutical formulations as a natural excipient for modified-release and colon-targeted drug delivery.
Chemical Identity
- Chemical name: Pectin (poly-galacturonic acid)
- CAS No.: 9000-69-5
- EINECS: 232-553-0
- Source: Citrus peel, apple pomace
- Type: Soluble dietary fibre
- Solubility: Soluble in water
Regulatory Status
- EU: E440(i) Pectin; E440(ii) Amidated Pectin
- Codex: INS 440(i) / INS 440(ii)
- USA (FDA): GRAS — 21 CFR 184.1588
- India (FSSAI): INS 440 — approved
- Japan: Approved food additive
- Permitted level: Quantum satis (most categories)
Key Functions
- Gelling agent (jams, jellies, gels)
- Thickener (sauces, dressings)
- Stabiliser (dairy, beverages)
- Emulsifier / Cloud agent (juices)
- Film former (coatings)
- Dietary fibre (functional foods)
- Pharma excipient (colon drug delivery)
MAPECTIN Certifications
- HALAL certified
- KOSHER certified
- Vegan / vegetarian
- Non-GMO
- Allergen-free
- ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000
- FSSAI approved
MAPECTIN Pectin Grades — HM vs LM vs Pharmaceutical
Pectin is classified primarily by its degree of esterification (DE) — the percentage of galacturonic acid units that are esterified with methanol. This determines how and under what conditions the pectin will form a gel, and therefore which applications each grade is suited for.
| Grade | DE (%) | Gelling Condition | Key Applications | Gel Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAPECTIN HM Rapid Set | >70% | pH <3.5, Sugar >60% | Chunk-style jams, fruit spreads with whole fruit pieces | Firm, brittle set |
| MAPECTIN HM Medium Set | 60–70% | pH <3.5, Sugar >55% | Standard jams, marmalades, jellies, fruit preparations | Medium, elastic set |
| MAPECTIN HM Slow Set | 50–60% | pH <3.5, Sugar >55% | Clear jellies, jelly confectionery, deposited products | Soft, clear gel |
| MAPECTIN LM Standard | 25–50% | Calcium ions (no sugar requirement) | Low-sugar jams, dairy desserts, yoghurt stabilisation | Thermoreversible gel |
| MAPECTIN LM Amidated | 25–45% + amide groups | Calcium + low sugar | Dairy fillings, pie fillings, low-calorie spreads | Creamy, spreadable gel |
| MAPECTIN Pharma Grade | Custom | Pharmaceutical excipient use | Tablet excipient, colon-targeted drug delivery, wound care | Film / matrix / gel |
HM Pectin — When to Use
- Traditional high-sugar jams (≥55° Brix)
- Marmalades and fruit preserves
- Fruit jellies (clear or opaque)
- Jelly confectionery (gummy bears, fruit slices)
- Fruit glazes for bakery products
- Fruit fillings for pastries, tarts, cakes
LM Pectin — When to Use
- Low-sugar and reduced-calorie jams (<55° Brix)
- Diabetic-friendly fruit spreads
- Yoghurt fruit preparations (stable under heat)
- Dairy desserts and cream gels
- UHT-stable fruit preparations
- Beverage stabilisation (milk-based drinks)
MAPECTIN in Jam, Jelly & Preserve Manufacturing
Pectin is the essential gelling agent for all fruit jam, jelly, marmalade, and conserve production. The gelling mechanism in HM Pectin involves the formation of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions between pectin chains in a high-sugar, low-pH environment — creating the characteristic fruit gel texture that consumers expect.
Strawberry & Berry Jams
MAPECTIN HM Medium Set at 0.4–0.6% gives the classic spreadable strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, and blackcurrant jam texture.
Citrus Marmalade
MAPECTIN HM Rapid Set at 0.5–0.8% creates the firm, chunky citrus peel gel characteristic of orange, lemon, and grapefruit marmalades.
Apple Jelly & Fruit Jellies
MAPECTIN HM Slow Set at 0.6–1.0% for clear, sparkling fruit jellies. Slow set allows time to fill and achieve bubble-free clarity.
Low-Sugar & Diabetic Jams
MAPECTIN LM Standard at 0.7–1.2% for reduced-sugar jams (25–40° Brix) with added calcium — meeting diabetic, calorie-reduced, and health-conscious market needs.
Bakery Fruit Fillings
MAPECTIN HM and LM grades for thermostable fruit fillings for croissants, pastries, doughnuts, and biscuit sandwiches — must hold shape after baking.
Private Label & Industrial Scale
MAPECTIN Pectin available in 25 kg bags to full container loads for industrial jam and jelly manufacturers. Custom gel strength standardisation available.
Typical Strawberry Jam Formula Using MAPECTIN HM
- Strawberries (crushed/puréed): 450 g
- Sugar: 550 g
- MAPECTIN HM Medium Set: 5–7 g (0.5–0.7% on finished jam weight)
- Citric acid (50% solution): 5–8 g (to adjust pH to 3.0–3.3)
- Water: as needed
- Method: Mix pectin with sugar → add to fruit → heat to 104°C (setting point) → add acid → fill hot into sterilised jars → invert seal.
MAPECTIN Pectin in Beverage Applications
Pectin plays a critical role in multiple beverage categories — from natural cloud stability in fruit juices to mouthfeel enhancement in reduced-sugar drinks and protein stabilisation in milk-based beverages.
Fruit Juice Cloud Stability
Pectin prevents clarification in turbid fruit juices (apple, orange, mango) by forming a stable colloidal suspension — maintaining the natural cloudy appearance consumers associate with freshness and quality.
Acidified Milk Drinks
LM Pectin forms stable electrostatic complexes with casein micelles in acidified milk beverages (pH 3.5–4.2), preventing protein precipitation and sedimentation. Essential in fruit-flavoured milk drinks.
Smoothies & Nectars
Pectin provides viscosity and mouthfeel in smoothies and nectars — contributing to the perception of thickness and body without adding calories or synthetic thickeners.
Functional Beverages
Pectin as a soluble dietary fibre source in functional beverages — supporting gut health claims and providing ≥1 g fibre per serving with clean-label appeal.
Kombucha & Fermented Drinks
Pectin as a prebiotic dietary fibre in fermented beverages — supporting gut microbiome health positioning and clean-label natural ingredient credentials.
Plant-Based Beverages
Pectin as stabiliser in oat milk, almond milk, and other plant-based beverages — preventing separation and providing clean-label texture without synthetic emulsifiers.
MAPECTIN in Dairy & Dairy-Alternative Products
LM Pectin is uniquely suited to dairy applications because it can interact with milk proteins (casein) and calcium to form stable gels and protective coatings — without the high sugar environment that HM Pectin requires.
Yoghurt Fruit Preparations
LM Pectin stabilises fruit preparations added to yoghurt — preventing syneresis (water separation), maintaining colour, and providing clean-label stability. Heat-stable for pasteurisation.
Dairy Desserts & Puddings
LM Amidated Pectin for creamy, spoonable dairy desserts, panna cotta-style gels, and chilled milk puddings — providing a smooth mouthfeel and stable texture.
Cream Cheese & Spreads
Pectin as texturiser and stabiliser in processed cream cheese and soft dairy spreads — improving texture consistency and reducing syneresis on storage.
Milk-Based Beverages (UHT)
LM Pectin prevents protein sedimentation in UHT-processed fruit flavoured milk drinks and acidified milk beverages — essential for extended shelf life products.
MAPECTIN in Bakery, Confectionery & Nutraceutical Foods
Jelly Confectionery
HM Slow Set Pectin for fruit jelly confectionery — gummy bears, fruit slices, jelly beans, and fruit jellies. Pectin gels are cleaner-flavour and faster setting than gelatine.
Glazes & Mirror Gels
Neutral and fruit-flavoured pectin glazes for pastry tarts, fruit tarts, croissants, and cake decoration — providing a glossy, protective finish.
Thermostable Bakery Fillings
Specially formulated LM Pectin blends for bakery fillings that maintain their gel structure during baking — essential for filled pastries, Danish, and croissant manufacture.
Dietary Fibre Enrichment
Pectin as soluble dietary fibre in functional bakery products — bread, biscuits, cereal bars — to support fibre enrichment and gut health claims on packaging.
Vegan & Plant-Based Confectionery
Pectin as the plant-based alternative to gelatine in vegan gummies, jellies, and marshmallows — the ideal gelatine replacement for vegan, HALAL, and KOSHER products.
Clean Label Ingredients
Pectin is perceived as a natural ingredient by consumers — from fruit — making it ideal for clean label, organic certified, and minimal-additive product formulations.
MAPECTIN Pharma — Pectin as a Pharmaceutical Excipient
MAPECTIN Pharma Grade Pectin is manufactured under WHO-GMP conditions and complies with the USP/NF and BP monograph requirements for Pectin. It serves as a multifunctional pharmaceutical excipient in tablet formulations, modified-release systems, wound care products, and traditional medicine applications.
Tablet Excipient (Binder/Disintegrant)
Pectin functions as a natural binder in tablet wet granulation and as a disintegrant in tablet formulations. Compatible with most APIs and pharmacopoeially listed.
Colon-Targeted Drug Delivery
Pectin is selectively degraded by pectinolytic bacteria in the human colon — making pectin-based matrix tablets an ideal platform for colon-targeted drug delivery for IBD, colorectal cancer, and colon-specific APIs.
Wound Care Dressings
Calcium Pectin gel in wound care products — manages wound exudate, maintains moist wound environment, and promotes healing in chronic wounds and diabetic foot ulcers.
Antidiarrheal Formulations
Kaolin-Pectin preparations for antidiarrheal use — pectin adsorbs toxins and forms a protective coating on the intestinal mucosa. Traditional and well-established application.
Cholesterol Management
Pectin as soluble dietary fibre in functional pharmaceutical products — pectin supplementation has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol by 5–16% in clinical studies.
Film Coating
Pectin as a natural film-forming agent for enteric and modified-release tablet coatings — an alternative to synthetic polymers for clean-label pharmaceutical products.
MAPECTIN Pectin — Standard Specifications
| Parameter | HM Pectin | LM Pectin | Pharma Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | White to light cream fine powder | ||
| Odour | Slight characteristic, odourless when dissolved | ||
| Degree of Esterification | >50% (typically 60–75%) | <50% (typically 25–45%) | Per specification |
| Loss on Drying (NMT%) | 12.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| pH (1% solution) | 2.8–3.8 | 2.8–3.8 | Per USP/NF |
| Galacturonic acid (NLT%) | 65.0 | 65.0 | 74.0 (USP/NF) |
| Gel strength (SAG grade) | 100–250 (standardised) | 100–200 (standardised) | As required |
| Sulphated ash (NMT%) | 10.0 | 10.0 | Per USP/NF |
| Heavy metals (NMT ppm) | 20 | 20 | 10 |
| Microbial (TAMC, NMT CFU/g) | 5000 | 5000 | 1000 |
| Salmonella | Absent | ||
Packaging
- Standard: 25 kg multi-layer paper bags with PE inner liner
- Sample: 100 g, 500 g, 1 kg available for R&D
- Export: palletised, ISPM-15 heat treated pallets
Shelf Life & Storage
- Shelf life: 24 months from manufacture
- Storage: cool, dry place (<25°C, <65% RH)
- Away from direct sunlight and moisture
Documents Provided
- Certificate of Analysis (CoA) per batch
- Technical Data Sheet (TDS)
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
- HALAL / KOSHER certificates
- Non-GMO declaration
MAPECTIN — Global Pectin Supply from India
Maple Biotech exports MAPECTIN Pectin to food manufacturers, beverage companies, dairy processors, and pharmaceutical companies across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas. Our export team provides full documentation support for import regulatory compliance in all markets.
Asia Pacific
India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia
Europe
Germany, France, UK, Netherlands, Poland, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Eastern Europe distributors
Middle East & Africa
UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Ethiopia, Morocco
Americas
USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Peru
MAPECTIN Pectin — Technical FAQ
Request MAPECTIN Pectin Samples & Pricing
Available in HM Rapid Set, HM Medium Set, HM Slow Set, LM Standard, LM Amidated, and Pharma Grade. Free 100 g–1 kg samples for product development. Industrial quantities from 25 kg to full container loads.
sales@maplebiotech.co.in · +91 86699 59208 · Exporting to 50+ countries