A Campomanesia xanthocarpa Berg (Myrtaceae) é uma frutífera nativa brasileira, com ampla distribuição natural na região Sul. Embora apresente frutificação abundante, produza frutos com características sensoriais e nutricionais atrativas, esses não são coletados e se perdem nos campos. Neste trabalho, a polpa do fruto sem semente (1500 g) foi triturada em etanol / água na proporção de 1:4 (v/v), refluxada por 15 minutos em temperatura de ebulição. O resíduo obtido foi submetido a extrações sequenciais. As extrações foram otimizadas utilizando um planejamento fatorial 2², tendo como variáveis a concentração do ácido cítrico (0,5 e 5%) e a temperatura (50 e 100 ºC). Os polissacarídeos provenientes de diferentes extrações foram caracterizados quanto à composição química e perfil reológico. Os altos teores de ácidos urônicos, arabinose e galactose detectados em todas as frações, indicam que estas são constituídas por polissacarídeos pécticos. Os polissacarídeos extraídos da polpa da gabiroba apresentaram um comportamento pseudoplástico. Todas as frações apresentaram como característica resistência frente às variações de temperatura. Quando submetidas a ciclos de aquecimento e posterior resfriamento estes géis retornam à sua estrutura original.

The Campomanesia xanthocarpa Berg (Myrtaceae) is a Brazilian native fruit, widely abundant in the Southern region. Despite their large fructification, in addition to nutritional and attractive sensory characteristics, these fruits are not collected, being lost in the fields. In this work, the fruit pulp without seed (1500 g) was crushed in ethanol/water at a ratio of 1:4 (v/v), refluxed for 15 minutes at boiling temperature. The residue obtained was subjected to sequential extractions. The extractions were optimized using a factorial design 2², with the concentration of citric acid (0.5 and 5%) and temperature (50 and 100 ºC) as variables. The polysaccharides were characterized according to their chemical composition and rheological profile. The high concentrations of uronic acids, arabinose and galactose, detected in all fractions, indicate that they consist of pectin. The results showed that the extraction method was efficient for fractionation of pectin from different areas of the cell wall. The polysaccharides extracted from the fruit pulp of gabiroba showed a pseudoplastic behavior. All the fractions were resistant to temperature variations. When these gels are heated up and cooled down, they adopt their original structure.

Successive aqueous (10 ºC, 25 ºC and 80 ºC) and alkaline (1M NaOH; 25 ºC) extractions of milled Parkinsonia aculeata endosperms gave rise to four galactomannan fractions. These extractions furnished viscous galactomannans with Man:Gal ratios ranging from 3.1:1; 3.7:1; 4.9:1 and 6.1:1 (P1, P2, P3 and P4, respectively). Fraction P1 was used for structural studies by using methylation analysis, periodate oxidation and 13C-NMR. It showed a linear backbone of beta(1->4) linked D-mannose units, to which single alpha(1->6)-linked D-galactose are attached. This galactomannan has Mw 775700 g/mol and intrinsic viscosity of 558 mL/g. The four fractions and the crude endosperm were treated with epichlorydrin and used as matrix for affinity chromatography. All columns tested showed ability to bind lectin samples. The efficiency is related to the degree and pattern of substitution of galactosyl units on the D-mannan backbone.

Extractions of apple pectins from apple pomace were performed using an experimental design with 2² factorial. The extractor agent was 5 % (w/v) citric acid and the variables were time (30, 50 and 80 min) and temperature (50, 75 and 100 °C). The best yield (16.8 %) was obtained using higher temperatures (100 °C; 80 min). Monosaccharide composition of the pectic fractions was similar to others already described.