Question: What is the primary cause of weeping jelly?
Options:
(a) Excess of sugar (1)
(b) Excess of water (2)
(c) Excess of pectin (3)
(d) Excess of acid (4)
Weeping jelly, also known as syneresis, is a phenomenon where the jelly separates from the fruit and liquid accumulates on top or around the edges. This is primarily caused by excessive acidity in the fruit or the recipe.
• Why Excess Acid Causes Weeping:
Pectin Breakdown: Pectin is the natural gelling agent in fruits, and its ability to form a stable gel is dependent on a specific pH range. Excess acid can break down pectin, weakening the gel structure and leading to the release of liquid.
Brittle Gel: A gel with too much acid becomes brittle and unable to hold the liquid, resulting in syneresis.
🛑 Additional Information:::
Pectin is the major constituent of all plants.
It makes up approximately two-thirds of the dry mass of plant primary cell walls.
Pectin also provides structural integrity, strength, and flexibility to the cell wall. It acts as a barrier to the external environment.
When Pectin is heated together with sugar, the product starts to thicken.
It is widely used in the preparation of jams, jellies, and marmalades.
All fruits contain some pectin, but some must be combined with fruits high in pectin or with commercial pectin products to obtain gels.
It coagulates the fruit juice.
One has to be careful while adding pectin to sugar, the product would be very hard of it is put too much.
The product would be runny if less pectin as added.