Structural Morphology and Rheological Properties of Pectin Fractions Extracted from Okra Pods Subjected to Cold Plasma Treatment

Zielinska, Sara; Cybulska, Justyna; Pieczywek, Piotr; Zdunek, Artur; Kurzyna-Szklarek, Magdalena; Staniszewska, Izabela; Liu, Zi-Liang; Pan, Zhongli; Xiao, Hong-Wei; Zielinska, Magdalena

doi:10.1007/s11947-022-02798-0

Original Research
Published: 19 April 2022

Structural Morphology and Rheological Properties of Pectin Fractions Extracted from Okra Pods Subjected to Cold Plasma Treatment

Sara Zielinska¹,
Justyna Cybulska²,
Piotr Pieczywek²,
Artur Zdunek²,
Magdalena Kurzyna-Szklarek²,
Izabela Staniszewska³,
Zi-Liang Liu⁴,
Zhongli Pan⁵,
Hong-Wei Xiao⁴ &
Magdalena Zielinska ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7127-4891³

Food and Bioprocess Technology volume 15, pages 1168–1181 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

Cold plasma (CP) is an innovative technology for non-thermal food processing. Low temperature and active particles during CP processing play a significant role in limiting nutrient loss in food and modifying biomacromolecules. So far, numerous works have been carried out on the use of CP in food processing. However, the effectiveness of the CP pre-extraction treatment on the structural morphology and rheological properties of pectin fractions extracted from okra pods is not described yet. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate the effect of CP on the changes in structural morphology and rheological properties of water-soluble pectin (WSP), chelator-soluble pectin (CSP), and diluted alkali-soluble pectin (DASP) fractions extracted from okra pods. The yield of extraction depended on the type of solvent and the duration of CP treatment. The short CP treatment (5 s) caused the suspension of extraction, while longer treatments (15 and 30 s) contributed to the formation of microcracks on the surface of okra that favored efficient extraction yields. Pectins extracted from okra belonged to the group of the low methylated ones. The degree of methylation was <50%, and it depended on the solvent type but not on the treatment. WSP fraction was characterized by the highest viscosity, and it was followed by the viscosities of DASP and CSP. CP treatment caused a slight change in the nature of fluid from dilatant towards Newtonian (CSP and DASP) or pseudoplastic behavior (WSP). The acquired knowledge may be useful for better understanding and optimization of technologies based on the CP treatment.

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Funding

This study was partially supported by the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland (Grant No. 16.610.001–110).

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Authors and Affiliations

Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, Poland
Sara Zielinska
Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lublin, Poland
Justyna Cybulska, Piotr Pieczywek, Artur Zdunek & Magdalena Kurzyna-Szklarek
Department of Systems Engineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland
Izabela Staniszewska & Magdalena Zielinska
College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
Zi-Liang Liu & Hong-Wei Xiao
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
Zhongli Pan

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Sara Zielinska
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Justyna Cybulska
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Artur Zdunek
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Magdalena Kurzyna-Szklarek
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Izabela Staniszewska
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Zhongli Pan
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Hong-Wei Xiao
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Magdalena Zielinska
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Zielinska, S., Cybulska, J., Pieczywek, P. et al. Structural Morphology and Rheological Properties of Pectin Fractions Extracted from Okra Pods Subjected to Cold Plasma Treatment. Food Bioprocess Technol 15, 1168–1181 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-022-02798-0

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Received: 17 November 2021
Accepted: 14 March 2022
Published: 19 April 2022
Issue Date: May 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-022-02798-0

Keywords

Okra pods
Cold plasma treatment
Cell wall polysaccharides
Nanostructure
Rheological properties
Atomic force microscopy (AFM)