Abstract:Natural pectin mostly exists in the form of high-methoxyl pectin, and it requires a strong acidic environment and high concentration of sugar to form hydrogel. Moreover, the hydrogel formed belongs to physical crosslinking hydrogel, with defects such as weak strength, poor toughness, and poor stability in the application process. Therefore, the natural pectin structure has been modified to improve its intrinsic gel properties to prepare pectin hydrogels with good properties and make them more applicable to the fields of food and medicine, which have recently become a research hotspot. In this study, the modification methods of pectin and fabrication methods of modified pectin hydrogels are first summarized. Second, the application status of modified pectin hydrogels in food and pharmaceutical fields is expounded. Finally, some problems in pectin modification as well as the fabrication and application of modified pectin hydrogels are indicated, and future development directions are proposed to provide reference for the further development and utilization of pectin hydrogels.
