This gum is widely used as it is not terribly expensive. Used in laundry detergents because it keeps the dirt from settling back on the clothes. Also used in the paper industry. Used in latex paints to make them go on well with rollers. Pectins Pectins are water soluble and make viscous solutions or gels, similar in composition to the gums mentioned above.
Pectins also form gels under certain conditions.
In plants, they are the materials that stick the plant cell walls together. For this purpose, pectin is often associated with calcium ions. The number of methoxy groups present is important in determination of the properties of any particular pectin. As fruits mature, pectinases usually break down the pectins between cells and make the fruit soft and edible. The peels of many fruits serve as convenient sources of pectins.