Pectin
What it does
Gelling agent (jams).
How it's made
Extracted from citrus peel and apples.
Pectin is a natural gelling agent found in fruits, most famously used to set jams, marmalades and jellies, and also to thicken and stabilise fruit products, drinks and confectionery. It is the substance in fruit that makes traditional jam set, and it is why high-pectin fruits like apples and citrus gel so readily.
It is extracted from fruit by-products, chiefly citrus peel and apple pomace (the pulp left after pressing juice). This material is heated in acidified water, which dissolves the pectin out of the plant cell walls; the extract is then filtered and the pectin recovered by precipitating it with alcohol, then washed and dried.
The dried pectin is milled into a powder and standardised, and is sold in high-methoxyl grades (which set with sugar and acid, for classic jam) and low-methoxyl grades (which set with calcium, for low-sugar products). Being fruit-derived, it is a natural, plant-based gelling agent suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Possible reactions
Generally safe.