Pectin: Worth Knowing About The Vegetable Gelling Agent

Pectin is derived from Greek photos. Photos, on the other hand, mean something like solidifying or gelling, and that’s exactly what the substance is used for.

Pectin – a good alternative for vegetarians and vegans

Gelling agents can be found in ready meals as well as in cakes and jams or gummy bears. It is needed to give food a certain firmness.

• What may be not everyone is aware of: The usual gelling agents consist mainly of cheap slaughterhouse by-products.
• For obvious reasons, neither the animal-based gelling agents nor the foods in which they have been used are suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
• A very good alternative to animal gelling agents is pectin. This is a purely herbal product.
• If you want to be absolutely sure that no animal gelatin has been used in food, take a look at the list of contents. You can also recognize the pectin by the European approval number E 440.

That’s where pectin substances come from

Pectin occurs in more or less high intensity in almost all plants.

• It is an important component of plant cell walls. The cell walls are thereby supported and gain better stability. Due to its important function for plants, pectin is also often referred to as the framework of the cell walls.
• Roughly speaking, sour fruits contain more pectin than sweet and hard fruits more than soft ones.
• A particularly large amount of pectin can be found in apples or apple pomace, in the peel of citrus plants, in currants, gooseberries, quinces, blueberries, and cranberries.
• Pectin is also often praised as a weight loss aid. It binds water and a faster feeling of satiety occurs.
• The substance also lowers cholesterol levels.