Changes of Pectic Substance in Vegetables by Cooking (Part 1)

Changes of Pectic Substance in Vegetables Cooked in the Neutral or Acid Solution

Abstract

It was observed that pectin was broken down in hot solution rapidly at pH 7.1 and slowly at pH 6.3 by transelimination. The reaction was not induced at pH 4.1. Vegetable tissues are kept firm when cooked with vinegar. This is probably due to the stability of vegetable pectin in the acid solution. It is reasonable to assume that the degradation of pectin by the transelimination causes the softening of vegetable tissues cooked at the neutral pH.