Pectin conversions under high pressure: Implications for the structure-related quality characteristics of plant-based foods

Under conditions associated with fruit and vegetable processing, cell wall pectin can undergo numerous enzymatic and non-enzymatic conversion reactions, which are connected with and reflected in the structure-related quality characteristics of the final product (e.g., texture, viscosity, cloud stability). This paper reviews recent insights in the ways the major pectin conversions (including depolymerisation and demethoxylation) are affected by application of high pressure (100–1000 MPa), a process parameter of increasing industrial relevance. Pressure-induced effects including (i) reaction acceleration and deceleration, (ii) pectic enzyme stimulation, inhibition, inactivation and stabilisation and (iii) enzyme-inhibitor and enzyme-subunit dissociation are discussed. Their food-technological implications and (potential) applications with regard to structure-related quality attributes of plant-based foods are illustrated, clearly showing the relevance of high-pressure processing of food systems for unique functional properties beyond preservation (pasteurisation and sterilisation).

► HP constitutes a tool for creating unique functional properties of plant-based foods.
► Pectin demethoxylation and depolymerisation (in and ex situ) are affected by HP.
► HP can be used for inactivation of PME and PG to avoid cloud/consistency loss.
► HP-induced activation of PME can be exploited as a texture-preserving pretreatment.
► HP-induced inhibition of β-elimination leads to hardness retention during HP/HT.