A fundamental understanding of polymers has evolved in recent years concurrent with advances in analytical instrumentation. The theories and methodologies developed for the galacturonan biopolymers (collectively called pectins) have seldom been discoursed comprehensively in the context of the new knowledge. This text explains the scientific and technical basis of many of the practices followed in processing and preparing foods fabricated with or containing pectin. The material is presented in a very readable fashion for those with limited technical training. - Structural analysis - Commercial extractions methods - Pectin formulations and tropical fruit analysis - Molecular mechanisms of gelatin - Enzymology - Polymer comformation techniques - Analytical methods of polymer analysis