Abstract: Pectin is an important acidic macromolecular polysaccharide. Because of its excellent gel performance,thickening and emulsifying properties,it has been widely used in the food processing industry. The molecular structure and emulsifying properties of pectin will be influenced by extraction methods. The structures of pectin and application characteristics of different extraction methods were reviewed in this article. The structural factors(protein,ferulic acid,acetyl,neutral sugar side chains,and molecular weight)and environmental factors(pectin and oil concentrations,pH and salts)affecting the pectin emulsifying properties and the usage situations of protein-pectin complexes in emulsified oil were also introduced. Finally,the development prospects of pectin were proposed. It may provide a theoretical reference for the reasonable exploitations and the applications of pectin.