Preparation and physicochemical properties characterization of hesperetin-grafted pectin conjugate

Different ratios of hesperetin (HT) were successfully grafted onto pectin from basic water (PB) molecules via free radical-induced reaction. The structure of PB-HT conjugates was characterized by ultraviolet spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Results indicated that HT was successfully grafted onto pectin molecules, and PB-HT-0.5 showed the highest HT content (103.18 ± 2.76 mg/g). Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that HT crystals showed good thermal resistance and could improve the thermal stability of PB-HT conjugates. Additionally, PB-HT conjugates showed good cytocompatibility and blood compatibility. This study provides a novel and efficient method to synthesize hesperetin-grafted pectin conjugate, which showed potential application in the fields of functional foods in the future.