@conference{
author = "Pavlović, Marija and Šokarda Slavić, Marinela and Ristović, Marina and Margetić, Aleksandra and Stojanović, Sanja and Momčilović, Miloš and Vujčić, Zoran",
year = "2023",
abstract = "Pectinases are a type of enzymes frequently used in the food industry to clarify, liquefy, and stabilize fruit juices. The main challenge in fruit juice production is the cloudiness of the juice, which is largely caused by the presence of pectic polysaccharides. Endo-pectinases are enzymes that hydrolyze the glycosidic bonds in pectic polymers. Commercial pectinolytic enzymes are typically produced by fungi, with Aspergillus spp. being the most commonly used.
The aim of this research was the production and characterization of a novel endo-pectinase from the Aspergillus tubingensis strain for use in liquefying and clarifying different types of fruit juice. To accomplish this, solid-state fermentation was conducted on agricultural waste, such as sugar beet pulp and wheat bran, to produce pectinolytic enzymes. The resulting crude extract was concentrated via ultrafiltration and used to isolate the endo-pectinase via ammonium sulfate and ethanol precipitation methods. Ion-exchange chromatography technique on DEAE Sephadex A-25 matrix was used for further purification of the endo-pectinase.
The purified enzyme was characterized by the determination of total pectinolytic activity, specific pectinolytic activity, and SDS-PAA gel electrophoresis. The activity of the endo-pectinase was confirmed by a diffusion test and zymography with Ruthenium Red visualization. The resulting enzyme was used to liquefy apricot, banana, apple, quince, strawberry, and orange pulp, with juice yields ranging from 71% to 83%, depending on the fruit used. The juices treated with endo-pectinase showed much higher clarification compared to untreated juices. Additionally, the treated juices demonstrated more pronounced antioxidant properties, as determined through the DPPH assay.",
publisher = "Serbian Chemical Society",
journal = "Abstract Book - XXII Congress EuroFoodChem, June 14-16, 2023, Belgrade, Serbia",
title = "Highly active endo-pectinases from Aspergillus tubingensis: A novel enzyme for fruit processing",
pages = "207-207",
url = "https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_cer_6241"
}