D.(+)-Galacturonic acid monohydrate (>98% by titration)

Galacturonic acid (GalA) is the primary building block of mainly pectin but also other biopolymers found in plants. The polymeric GalA chains in pectin, are linked by alpha-1,4 glycosidic bonds. Some of the carboxyl groups are methylated and exist as methyl esters. The molecular mass of pectins reaches 200,000 g/mol and more.

Pectin is found mainly in plant walls. It is particularly abundant (≈30 wt%) in citrus peels, but is also extracted from apples, spinach, sugar beets, and other fruits and vegetables. It is mainly used as a gelling or filling agent in foods such as jellies, jams, desserts and sweets, and as a stabilizer in juices and milk-based beverages.