Abstract: The invention relates to the use of polygalacturonides as food additives, said polygalacturonides being obtainable via the following process steps: a) a pectinous plant material is subjected to a pectin extraction in aqueous solution; b) the solids are removed from the suspension obtained in step a), consisting of liquid phase including dissolved pectin and solids from the plant material; c) the pectin is precipitated from the liquid phase obtained in step b); d) the pectin obtained in step c) is dissolved in an aqueous solution and cleaved with purified endo-polygalacturonase; e) the polygalacturonides obtained in step d) are processed into a polygalacturonide preparation without using an additional separation step and without hydrolyzing ester groups that are present.