Increase in Viscosity and Gel Formation of Fruit Juice by Purified Pectinesterase

The pectinesterase produced by Sclerotinia libertiana was purified by the column chromatography employing cation exchange resin Amberlite CG 50 and CM cellulose. The specific activity per mg protein was increased 266-fold. The homogeneity of the enzyme preparation was confirmed by ultracentrifugal analysis and starch zone electrophoresis. The purified pectinestrase was found to remarkably increase the viscosity of pectin solution and fruit juice, and, in a pectin solution of appropriate concentration (about 0.5~1 %) and some fruit juices, it finally formed the cosity thus increased and gel formed by the enzyme action did not change for a long time.