The use of pectin substance in sauce production technologies

Functional food, in particular emulsion sauces, is a new promising trend in modern food industry. Traditionally, sauce manufacturers use starch, which has a number of negative aspects in storage. That is why the possibility of creating a functional sauce based on pectic substances employed as thickening and structuring agent has been investigated. The study used apple, citrus and beetroot pectins in powdered form. Organoleptic, biochemical, physical and chemical tests have been undertaken to confirm their compliance with the requirements of regulatory and technical documentation. To determine the possibility of using pectins as structuring agents and stabilizers, three formulations of tomato sauces differing by pectin type were developed, and the starch-based ketchup formulation was used as a reference. Six samples with different concentrations of pectin have been analyzed to determine the optimal pectin content in the sauce. It was established that the structure-forming and thickening properties of all samples of pectins are better than those of starch at the same concentration (0.5%). The best structure-forming properties have been demonstrated by beetroot pectin. All laboratory samples of tomato sauces complied with the requirements of regulatory documentation. Consequently, the use of pectins, as an alternative to starch in sauces, allows not only to create a functional product, but also significantly reduce the amount of structuring agent in the formulation. Thus, it is advisable to add the beetroot pectin to any kind of tomato based sauce.