Extraction and Characterization of Pectic Polysaccharides from Chaenomeles sinensis Fruit by Hot Compressed Water

The effects of extraction conditions on the yield of polysaccharides from the fruit of Chaenomeles sinensis (FCS) using a hot compressed water method were investigated. The results showed that an appropriately high temperature (150 degrees C) and a moderate extraction time (45 min) at a material to water ratio of 1 to 10 g/mL led to a high yield of alcohol precipitation polysaccharide (P-A). The purified polysaccharides (CSP-1, CSP-2, and CSP-3) were successfully obtained using a DEAE-52 chromatographic column. Chemical analysis showed that CSP-2 and CSP-3 were homogenous and exhibited characteristics of esterified pectins, whereas CSP-2 mainly consisted of galacturonic acid (GalA), galactose (Gal), arabinose (Ara), rhamnose (Rha), and mannose (Man) with an average molecular weight of 59.1 kDa. Furthermore, CSP-1 possessed stronger antioxidant ability according to DPPH scavenging and reducing power compared with CSP-2 and CSP-3. However, it was weaker with respect to OH scavenging. The technical data presented in this study could help the industry make use of polysaccharides from FCS as a source of pectin for a range of pharmaceutical, culinary, and cosmetic products.