Edible films of pectin extracted from dragon fruit peel: Effects of boiling water treatment on pectin and film properties

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of boiling water treatments on the properties of different dragon fruit peel pectin films. The physicochemical properties of pectin films derived from red and white dragon fruit peel treated with and without boiling water were studied for this purpose. The performance of dragon fruit peel pectin films and commercial citrus pectin films was compared. There was no significant difference in the performance of pectin films from the peel of different dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus and Hylocereus polyrhizus) species. The mechanical, color, microstructure, and antioxidant capacity of pectin films were all strongly impacted by the boiling water treatment; however, the barrier, water sensitivity, and thermal stability of the films were hardly modified. To ensure the quality of pectin, boiling water treatment before extraction may be necessary. The dragon fruit peel pectin films showed similar properties to commercial citrus pectin films, and could be another candidate for commercial pectin.