pectin

Everyday

A natural substance in fruits, especially apples and lemons, that makes jam and jelly set (go thick and firm). tree →

In the lessons

In cooking and science, pectin is a kind of fibre found in fruit cell walls; when jam is boiled with sugar and acid, pectin makes it set. Some fruits like strawberries have little pectin, so people add pectin or lemon juice. It is also healthy fibre.

Examples

• Apples contain lots of pectin. tree →
• Add pectin so the strawberry jam will set. tree →
• Pectin makes jelly wobbly but firm. tree →
• Lemon juice helps the pectin in jam to work. tree →
• Pectin is found in the skins and cores of fruit. tree →
• Gummy sweets can be made with pectin instead of gelatine. tree →

Note

Uncountable. Pronounced "PEK-tin". Pectin comes from plants, so vegetarians can eat sweets made with pectin; gelatine comes from animals.