FAQ: Curdlan's Role in Revolutionizing Pineapple Jam Production

What is curdlan and how does it improve pineapple jam production?

Curdlan is a natural polysaccharide with unique gelling properties that, when added to pineapple jam, reduces cooking time from three hours to just one hour while strengthening texture, reducing water loss, and improving stability without affecting taste.

Why is finding an alternative to pectin important for pineapple jam production?

Pectin is expensive, limited in supply, and naturally scarce in pineapple flesh, making traditional jam production technically challenging and costly for manufacturers who struggle to balance consistency, stability, and cost.

How much curdlan was tested in the study and what were the key findings?

Researchers tested four formulations with 0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% curdlan, finding that the highest concentration reduced cooking time from three hours to one and that all concentrations maintained sensory quality while improving physical properties.

Who conducted this research and where was it published?

A team from Universiti Sains Malaysia and Mountains of the Moon University conducted the study, which was published on July 18, 2025, in Food Quality and Safety (DOI: 10.1093/fqsafe/fyaf033).

What specific benefits did curdlan provide to the pineapple jam?

Curdlan reduced syneresis (liquid separation), lowered water activity for safer storage, improved color brightness and texture, created compact gel networks for stability, and maintained flavor and overall acceptability according to consumer panels.

How did consumers respond to the curdlan-enhanced pineapple jams?

A panel of 45 untrained tasters reported no significant differences in flavor, color, or overall acceptability across the samples, with jams containing 0.5% curdlan receiving the highest scores for spreadability.

Why is pineapple preservation particularly important?

Pineapple is the world’s third most-produced tropical fruit but is highly perishable, with nearly one-third of harvests lost after picking, making preservation methods like jam production crucial for reducing food waste.

What are the next steps needed before curdlan can be widely adopted in jam production?

According to the researchers, further research into industrial scalability and shelf-life stability will be essential before curdlan can reach wider adoption in commercial jam production.

How does curdlan compare to traditional pectin in terms of cost and effectiveness?

Curdlan offers a low-cost, versatile alternative to pectin that not only matches pectin’s performance but actually enhances efficiency by reducing cooking time and improving texture and stability while maintaining sensory quality.