Structures, isolation and health-promoting properties of pectic polysaccharides from cell wall-rich food by-products: a source of functional ingredients

• Plant cell wall materials are promising sources of bioactive carbohydrates.
• Potato pulp represents an undeniable source of galactan-rich pectic polysaccharides.
• Structures of pectic compounds determine their health-promoting properties.
• Selectively isolating these bioactive constituents from cell wall requires innovative approaches.
• Research is still needed to generate pectic-derived compounds and to substantiate their benefits.

Being the major component of abundant food processing by-products, cell wall materials have received special attention as potential sources of bioactive carbohydrates with prebiotic activities and other health-promoting properties. Polysaccharides and their oligomers derived from cell wall materials would be structurally different from those currently available and might offer more prolonged modulation of gut microbiota and other functional properties. This short review focuses on the pectic polysaccharides, a major cell wall component in food processing by-products, their isolation and their health-promoting benefits. A particular emphasis was put on potato by-products being a veritable source of these added-value compounds.