What Is Pectinaze?
Pectinaze is a highly concentrated form of liquid Pectic Enzyme. It is supplied in an easy to use 15ml plastic bottle. The dose rate for wines and ciders is 10 drops per 5 litres (1 gallon). It does not matter if you add too much, you cannot overdose on this enzyme, in fact, the more you use the faster it works. Pectinaze will remove both soluble and insoluble pectin as well as arabanes. Araban (Arabinoxylan) is a type of hemicellulase (xylanase) found in some plant cell walls & can cause cloudiness in juices.
What Volume Will It Treat?
Each bottle contains enough enzyme to treat 20 gallons of wine or cider.
What Is Pectin?
Pectin is a complex group of carbohydrates bonded together with sugars. These are present in most cell walls and are particularly abundant in the non-woody parts of plants. In human digestion, pectin binds to cholesterol in the gastrointestinal tract and slows glucose absorption by trapping carbohydrates.
What Does Pectin Do?
The main use for pectin is as a gelling agent, thickening agent and also a stabiliser in food.The main use is giving the jelly-like consistency to jams or marmalades, which would otherwise be sweet juices.
Why Is It Bad In Wine And Cider?
The pectin in the fruit will try to set the haze, making it cloudy, with a waxy type haze. Traditional finings will not work if pectin is present, as the pectin will surround the haze particles. Finings work by attaching to the haze particles, making them heavier and therefore fall down quicker. If the finings cannot attach to the particles, they will not work. By adding Pectinaze, the pectin will be destroyed so the wine or cider will be able to clear.
What Fruits Contain Pectin?
All fruits and vegetables used in winemaking will contain some pectin. Ingredients like pears, apples, damsons, guavas, quince, plums, gooseberries, and oranges and other citrus fruits contain large amounts of pectin, while soft fruits, like cherries, grapes, and strawberries, contain small amounts of pectin.