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What can go wrong with pectin-thickened preserves? LM pectin packages often come with a pack of calcium powder that is added separately from the pectin to activate the gel. Calcium does, which is why chemists call that type of gel a calcium gel. When you use LM pectin, sugar and acid don’t bind the pectin molecules together. To most of us, that firmed-up network is called jelly, but in chemistry, it’s called a sugar-acid-pectin gel because sugar and acid are required to bond and gel the molecules in HM pectin. As the mixture cools, it gels into a firmer mesh-like network that cradles and supports the liquid and dissolved sugar. In the case of preserves thickened with HM pectin, added sugar attracts water molecules, bringing the pectin chains closer together to form a loose, fluid matrix. This acid neutralizes some of the negative charges, allowing the pectin molecules to repel each other less. When fruit is chopped and cooked to make preserves, acids in the fruit are released. The pectin molecules in raw, uncut fruit have an alkaline negative charge, which causes them to repel each other and to bond with water. It depends on the type of commercial pectin you use.
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LM pectin is often labeled “light” or for “low sugar or no sugar recipes.” Pull out the LM pectin when you want to make low-sugar and no-sugar jams and jellies or to make no-cook freezer preserves. Rapid-set pectin works best when you want to suspend solid ingredients within a jelly, while slow set works best for clear jellies made from clarified fruit juices such as grape juice. More often, you’ll see labels for the two subsets of HM pectin: rapid set and slow set. HM pectin is the most widely available, even though it isn’t always labeled as such. There are two main types of commercial pectin on the market: HM (high methoxyl) and LM (low methoxyl). Food manufacturers use commercial pectin to make gummy candies and to improve the mouth-feel of low-fat yogurts and baked goods. This commercial pectin can be used to thicken preserves made with low-pectin fruits, such as strawberries or peaches, or to make jellies from thin fruit juices. You can also buy liquid or powdered pectin, which is made by extracting pectin from fruits. The pectin content in fruits varies depending on the type of fruit and the fruit’s ripeness. Consisting of long chains of polysaccharide molecules that bond together to form a gummy paste, pectin helps hold together the walls of plant cells, much as mortar holds up the bricks in a house.
#Juice jam problems how to#
Here’s a closer look at how it works and how to guarantee success when making fruit preserves at home. Pectin, a fiber that’s naturally abundant in such fruits as cranberries and quince, is the secret to beautifully gelled jams and jellies.