Extraction and assay of pectic enzymes from Peruvian carrot (Arracacia xanthorriza Bancroft.)

Enzyme extraction processes were studied to evaluate the actual activity of pectinesterase (PE) and polygalacturonase (PG) from Peruvian carrot roots. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to study the effect of NaCl concentration (from 0.5 to 1.5 M), the pH of the homogenate (from 4.0 to 8.0) and the extraction time (from 4 to 52 h) on enzyme activity of the crude extract. The results showed that best conditions for extracting pectic enzymes were 1.0 M NaCl, for 4 h, for both enzymes, whereas pH 7.5 and 4.0 were the appropriate parameters for extracting PE and PG, respectively.