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Graphical abstract Highlights • Sugar acid-mediated pectin isolation instigates environmental-friendly technology. • This method negates the use of mineral acids for extraction. • The extracted pectin exhibited higher galacturonic acid content. • The extracted pectin was found to be a LM pectin with lower DE. Abstract Cocoa husks were used as the source for the pectin extraction by sugar acid treatment. A full factorial design was applied to screen the independent variables influencing the yield and uronic acid content. Followed by response surface methodology (RSM) was conducted using central composite design to optimize the extraction conditions. The optimized extraction condition was denoted as pH 2.5/95 °C/45 min. The yield and the uronic acid content of the extracted pectin was determined as 4.2 ± 0.12% and 74.5 ± 0.3% respectively. The extracted pectin was proved to be low methoxy pectin (LM pectin) with an 8.1% degree of esterification (DE). The pectin solutions showed shear thinning behaviour which was explicated by Williamson model. This work promotes environmentally friendly technology for pectin isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Pectin was extracted from cocoa husks, a processing waste from the cocoa industry. [•] Citric acid is the most efficacious matrix for pectin extraction from cocoa husks. [•] Low methoxyl pectin from cocoa husks was obtained using water or hydrochloric acid. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cocoa husks, a by-product of cocoa processing, were investigated as a source of pectins. Preliminary results of pectin recovery and characterization are shown; they constitute the first part of a study for the optimization of pectin extraction from this by-product. Husks of two different origins (Ghana and Venezuela) were used whole or minced and pectins were extracted under various conditions (pH 7.0, 4.0, 2.5, 1.5 and 1.0; extraction periods 1–3h): the highest yield is obtained with minced husks after 1h of extraction at pH 2.5. A preliminary characterization of pectins, in terms of methyl and acetyl ester contents, was also carried out in order to investigate the influence of different extraction conditions on the chemical composition of the extracts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]