The objective of this work was to extract and evaluate some functional properties (gelling and emulsification
capacity, acidified milk drink stabilization) of pectin extracted from mango peel using an acidic
ion chelator (citric acid) (pH 2.5, 2 h at 80 C). The novel extraction method resulted in a high yield of
pectin (MPP e mango peel pectin) having a very high DM (78.1%), high neutral sugar to uronic acid ratio
and a high average molecular weight (Mw). Those chemical structural characteristics had a large impact
on the obtained functional properties of the pectin. MPP (0.8%) was able to stabilize 5% oil-in-water
emulsion for 30 days similarly to pectin from apple that had a comparable DM but a much lower
neutral sugar to uronic acid ratio and a much lower Mw. Despite the high Mw that was expected to
provide good gelling properties, MPP did not form a strong gel even at high concentrations of pectin and
sugar at acidic condition. Such a result is most likely due to high presence of neutral sugar branches
sterically hindering the gel network formation resulting in a thickening effect. The large concentration of
neutral sugars that might provide interesting health related activities seemed also to limit the utilization
of MPP for acidified milk drink stabilization. The unique structural properties of MPP that include a high
DM, high Mw and high branching with neutral sugars are responsible for the limitations and further
opportunities of functionalization of this polysaccharide obtainable from the by-products of the fruit
industry.