3.2.2.2. Pectinase. Table 4 shows the effect of pectinase and incubation
time (min) on the soluble solids yield from tamr date fruit of
Deglet Nour cultivars.
The extraction yield of soluble solids significantly depended
(P > 0.05) on treatment time, as well as the pectinase concentration.
Pectinase addition at level 50 U/100 g increased the extraction
yield of soluble solids by 8.48% after 40 min. This was related to
degradation of the pectin in the plant cell wall matrix and in the
middle lamella into galacturonic acid units and sugars (Demir, Acar,
Sario glu, & Mutlu, 2001; Landbo et al., 2007).
The yield of soluble solids increased with increase in enzyme
concentration (Table 4). However, the addition of the highest
concentration of pectinase (100 U of pectinase/100 g) presented no
significant change (P > 0.05) on the extraction yield of soluble
solids compared with 50 U of pectinase/100 g. The turbidity was