Pectins are subdivided according to their degree of esterification (DE), i.e. the percentage of carboxyl groups esterified with methanol.

Pectins with DE > 50 are called high metoxyl pectins or HM pectins, while those with DE < 50 are low metoxyl pectins or LM pectins. It is important to note that pectins can gel by two different mechanisms.

One of these mechanisms is characteristic of HM pectins and requires a relatively high concentration of soluble solids and low pH. The other is characteristic of LM pectins and requires only the presence of divalent cations (like calcium salts).

LM pectins can be amidated or not amidated. The degree of amidation is defined as the percentage of carboxyl groups that are in the amide form. Amidated pectins have a DE usually between 20% and 45% and the degree of amidation between 5% and 25%. While no amidated pectins have usually a DE between 30% and 40% and the degree of amidation equals zero.

HM pectins can change according the higher or lower percentage of esterificated carboxyl groups, going from very slow set with the DE around 60% to a slow medium rapid and rapid set with the DE around 76%.

GTC is the sole distributor in Italy of pectins with the commercial name VIDOPECTINE all extracted from citrus peels.

VIDOPECTINE is a registered brand of VIGIDO AG, a joint venture company set up by Unipektin AG and Pectine Industrie S.p.A. Unipektin AG is responsible for R&D and develops specific types of pectins in order to meet the customers’s requirements. The production centre is located in Sicily, the same area where the citrus fruits grow and from whose peels we get pectins.