Pectin

Pectin is a heterosaccharide derived from the cell wall of plants. Pectins are variable in their chain lengths; complexity; and the order of each of the monosaccharide units.

Chemical composition

Pectin is composed of three main polysaccharide types:

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• polygalacturonan, which is composed of repeated galacturonic acid monosaccharide subunits
• rhamnogalacturonan I which is composed of alternating rhamnose and galacturonic acid subunits
• rhamnogalacturonan II which is a a complex, highly branched polysaccharide