Overview

Pectin (PEK-tin) is a mixture, not a compound. Mixtures differ from compounds in a number of important ways. The parts making up a mixture are not chemically combined with each other, as they are in a compound. Also, mixtures have no definite composition, but consist of varying amounts of the substances from which they are formed.

Chemically, pectin is a polysaccharide, a very large molecule made of many thousands of monosaccharide units joined to each other in long, complex chains. Monosaccharides are simple sugars. The most familiar monosaccharide is probably glucose, the sugar from which the human body obtains the energy it needs to grow and stay healthy. The monosaccharides in pectin are different from and more complex than glucose.

Key Facts

Formula:

Not applicable

Elements:

Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and other elements

Compound Type:

Not applicable

State:

Solid

Molecular Weight:

Varies widely: 20,000 to 400,000 g/mol

Melting Point: