Extraction and characterization of a pectin from coffee (Coffea arabica L.) pulp with gelling properties

About 0.5 ton of coffee pulp is generated for each ton of coffee cherry processed. In the present study, this waste was investigated as a source of pectin. Coffea arabica L. pulp was dried, treated with ethanol and the pectin extracted with 0.1 M HNO3 (14.6 % yield). Chromatographic, colorimetric and spectroscopic methods were used for pectin characterization.