Activated Pectin-Containing Biomass Compositions, Products, and Methods of Producing

Abstract

Methods for producing an activated pectin-containing biomass composition are provided. The method includes (A) mixing a starting pectin-containing biomass material comprising an insoluble fiber component and an insoluble protopectin component with an aqueous solution of an alcohol to form a mixture; (B) activating the starting pectin-containing biomass material to form an activated pectin-containing biomass material comprising the insoluble fiber component and a soluble pectin component by subjecting the starting pectin-containing biomass material to (i) an activating solution formed by adding acid to the mixture to adjust the pH of the mixture within the range from at or about 0.5 to at or about 2.5 and (ii) heat to a temperature greater than at or about 40 degrees Celsius; and (C) applying mechanical energy either (i) to the mixture of step A), (ii) during the activating of step B), or (iii) to the mixture of step A) and during the activating of step B); and (D) separating the activated pectin-containing biomass material from the mixture; wherein during the method the alcohol present in the mixture is at or greater than about 40 weight percent based on the total weight of the mixture. Activated pectin-containing biomass compositions are also provided.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . An activated pectin-containing biomass composition obtained from citrus fruit, comprising:
 an insoluble fiber component comprising cellulosic material; and   a soluble pectin component comprising readily soluble pectin;   wherein the activated pectin-containing biomass composition has a coil overlap parameter of at or about 2 or greater.   
     
     
         19 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 18 , wherein the insoluble fiber component and the soluble pectin component form an open structure allowing liquid to access the readily soluble pectin. 
     
     
         20 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 18 , wherein the composition comprises at or about 80 to at or about 55 weight percent insoluble fiber component and at or about 20 to at or about 45 weight percent soluble pectin component. 
     
     
         21 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 18 , wherein a degree of esterification of the soluble pectin component is at or about 60 percent or higher. 
     
     
         22 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 18 , wherein the coil overlap parameter is at or about 2.3 or greater. 
     
     
         23 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 18 , wherein the coil overlap parameter is at or about 2.5 or greater. 
     
     
         24 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 18 , wherein the activated pectin-containing biomass composition comprises one or more properties of the following group: an apparent viscosity from at or about 150 mPa·s to at or about 3500 mPa·s when measured in aqueous solution at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius and pH 4.0 using a Brookfield Viscometer, a water binding capacity from at or about 14 g/g to at or about 27 g/g, the soluble pectin component present in an amount from at or about 20% to at or about 45% by weight of the activated pectin-containing biomass composition, and a pH from at or about 2.5 to at or about 5.5. 
     
     
         25 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 18 , wherein the coil overlap parameter is at or about 2 to at or about 4.5. 
     
     
         30 . A product comprising the activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 29 . 
     
     
         31 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 29 , wherein the citrus fruit comprises alcohol washed citrus peels. 
     
     
         32 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the coil overlap parameter is at or about 2 to at or about 4.5; and   the citrus fruit comprises orange peels, lemon peels, lime peels, grapefruit peels, tangerine peels, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         33 . A product comprising the activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 32 . 
     
     
         34 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 32 , wherein the composition comprises at or about 80 to at or about 55 weight percent insoluble fiber component and at or about 20 to at or about 45 weight percent soluble pectin component. 
     
     
         35 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 34 , wherein the composition has a coil overlap parameter of at or about 2.3 to at or about 3.5. 
     
     
         36 . An activated pectin-containing biomass composition obtained from citrus fruit, comprising:
 an insoluble fiber component comprising cellulosic material; and   a soluble pectin component comprising readily soluble pectin, wherein a degree of esterification of the soluble pectin component is at or about 60 percent or higher;   wherein the activated pectin-containing biomass composition has:
 a coil overlap parameter of at or about 2 to at or about 4.5, and 
 an apparent viscosity from at or about 150 mPa·s to at or about 3500 mPa·s when measured in an aqueous solution at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius and pH 4.0 using a Brookfield Viscometer. 
   
     
     
         37 . A product comprising the activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 36 . 
     
     
         38 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 36 , wherein the composition comprises at or about 80 to at or about 55 weight percent insoluble fiber component and at or about 20 to at or about 45 weight percent soluble pectin component. 
     
     
         39 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 38 , wherein:
 the citrus fruit comprises orange peels, lemon peels, lime peels, grapefruit peels, tangerine peels, or any combination thereof; and   the degree of esterification of the soluble pectin component is at or about 60 percent to at or about 74 percent.   
     
     
         40 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 36 , wherein:
 the coil overlap parameter is at or about 2.3 to at or about 3.5;   the apparent viscosity is at or about 500 mPa·s to at or about 3100 mPa·s when measured in an aqueous solution at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius and pH 4.0 using a Brookfield Viscometer; and   the composition comprises at or about 80 to at or about 55 weight percent insoluble fiber component and at or about 20 to at or about 45 weight percent soluble pectin component.   
     
     
         41 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 40 , wherein the composition has a water binding capacity from at or about 14 g/g to at or about 27 g/g. 
     
     
         42 . The activated pectin-containing biomass composition according to  claim 40 , wherein:
 the degree of esterification of the soluble pectin component is at or about 60 percent to at or about 74 percent; and   the composition comprises from at or about 30 to at or about 45 weight percent soluble pectin component.