3.3.4. Pectin quality
The best pectin quality was reached when silver lemons were
stored at 7℃, since it has the highest levels of methylation and the
lowest of galacturonic acid . Even though Rouse
(1977), indicated that the levels of methylation decrease with
maturity, with an increment in soluble pectin, when comparing
concentrations of these compounds in silver lemons after 60 d of
storage at 7℃ versus those stored 3℃, the importance of storage
temperature on pectin quality can be established. Pectin quality is
regulated by enzymatic processes and at lower temperatures such
quality would be reduced, which would generate a lower capacity
to maintain albedo structure and thus would provide better
conditions for the development of disorders, such as peteca, that
involve the cell wall . This situation also agrees with the
level of peteca found in this experiment