Enzymatic degradation of cell walls of apples and characterization of solubilized products

Partially depectinated apple cell walls were digested by pectin lyase or endoglucanase or a combination. By combining these commercial enzymes, a higher yield of 22.2% of carbohydrate material was obtained compared with only 13.9% and 5.7%, respectively, when using them singly. Only small amounts of carbohydrates were extracted by buffer (0.8%). The solubilized extracts were fractionated using a combination of ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The indidividual subfractions were analysed for neutral sugar and uronic acid content. The results indicated the existence of a synergistic effect between pectin lyase and endoglucanase based on the percentage of material extracted.