PURPOSE: To obtain sugar beet pectin having a low molecular weight, a high acetyl value, many hydrophobic portions, a low ferulic acid content and low viscosity and utilizable as comestibles by mechanically shearing an aqueous suspension of a sugar beet plant material with its pH adjusted at an elevated temperature for a short time.

CONSTITUTION: Compressed waste pulp of a sugar beet is suspended in water and the pH of the suspension is adjusted to below 4.5, usually 4.5-1, or equal to or above 9.0, preferably 9.5-12.0. The suspension is maintained at 125-250°C for 15-600 seconds to extract pectin. Subsequently the suspension is mechanically sheared by impact given by passing it in a jet through an orifice of a small diameter. The soluble portion is separated through 500 mesh screen to give sugar beet pectin having at least one of the following properties; a low molecular weight, a high acetyl value, many hydrophobic portions, ferulic acid content of not more than 3 wt.% and relatively low viscosity at 10 wt.%.