TECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF HIGH QUALITY RAW MATERIAL OBTAINING FOR PECTIN PRODUCTION

  The article is devoted to the study of the chemical composition, physical and thermal-pfysical characteristics of damp apple pomaces and the identifying patterns of influence of drying temperature the functional composition and gel-forming ability of pectin. The research is aimed at obtaining initial data for the subsequent calculation of the main technological, hydro-mechanical, thermal, structural and economic characteristics of devices for drying the plant raw materials, ensuring the environmental safety and high quality of pectin-containing raw materials, the reducing heat and energy costs. As a result of the study of the thermal characteristics of apple pomaces, the critical points (temperature conductivity – 16.5 x 10-8 m2/s, thermal conductivity – 0.28 W/m K, heat capacity – 1627 j/(kg K)) at a humidity of 56 % are determined, which characterizing the transition from the extraction of weakly bound moisture to the extraction of moisture with strong bonds (colloidal, adsorption). It was found that the pomaces obtained from apples of late ripening have a higher content of solids (21-23 %), soluble pectin and protopectin (2.5-4.5 %). Dried pomaces obtained from apple varieties of late ripening contain up to 25 % pectin, which allow us to recommend them as a source of raw materials for the production of pectin. The optimum modes of preliminary washing of raw materials are offered, allowing to the remove the ballast substances as much as possible. It is established that when the drying temperature increases, the destructive processes are catalyzed: the strength of the pectin jelly and the uronide component and the degree of pectin esterification are reduced. The optimum drying temperature of damp apple pomaces is 80 0C, at which the quality of pectin extracted from the dried raw materials is maintained as much as possible. It is shown that the most effective for the pectin production is a fraction with a particle size of 3-5 mm, which allow us to extract up to 71 % of pectin from raw materials.