Natural colloidal particles: the mechanism of the specific interaction between hesperidin and pectin

Hesperidin and pectin can form stable colloidal particles in solution. The specific interaction between hesperidin and pectin was shown to be due to the neutral sugars (NS) in the hesperidin molecule and in the polyuronide polymer. Two types of pectin were identified, both of which formed colloidal particles in the solution. One type formed stable particles, the other formed particles that flocculated. Less than 4% of the pectin formed stable particles with the hesperidin, and most of the commercial pectin did not interact with it. The specific fraction of the pectin, which formed the stable particles, contained about 80% neutral sugars (NS) and more than 10% of rhamnose. The specific fraction which formed the unstable particles contained about 40% NS and about 2% rhamnose. Good correlation was found between the neutral sugar content of the pectin and the stabilization of the hesperidin in the solution.