Decoding dietary pectin: from structural complexity and microbial CAZyme–PUL networks to cross-feeding and host-beneficial metabolites

, utilize these breakdown products via specialized transport systems. Intracellular fermentation leads to the synthesis of a series of degradation products, such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate, which are crucial for maintaining gut barrier integrity, modulating immune responses, and regulating systemic metabolism. Finally, we summarize the multifaceted health effects of pectin-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and propose that future efforts should focus on achieving a more comprehensive understanding of microbial and enzymatic mechanisms of pectin degradation, as well as complex cross-feeding networks, to inform the development of targeted nutritional interventions.