What is pectin? How does it work in jam and marmalade making?
Found naturally in fruits and vegetables, pectin is used as a thickener in jams, marmalades and jellies, providing a gel-like set (similar to gelatine). It is available in powdered and liquid forms. Pectin provides fruit with structure, and firmness, much like collagen keeps our skin firm. For example a ripe, firm and crunchy apple is high in pectin, whereas a softer fruit (i.e. strawberries) has less pectin. All fruits contain some level of pectin, however some more than others. High pectin fruits include: apples and most citrus fruits, i.e. oranges, lemons, limes, tangerines and cumquats. Low pectin fruits include: strawberries, raspberries, plums, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, peaches, figs and rhubarb. When making jams and marmalades, pectin only works properly when combined with exactly the right amount of sugar and fruit. Sugar absorbs water from the fruit, which when combined with citric acid, stimulate the activity of the pectin, so that a gel (or jam) forms. In finished
