re: pectin in peach jam

Peaches do need added commercial pectin to gel. We have a list of fruits that always need added pectin, and peaches are one of them. Pectin is the natural substance found in fruit that causes the fruit juice to gel. Some kinds of fruits have enough natural pectin to gel firmly; others require added pectin. The best type of pectin is found in just-ripe fruit. Pectin from underripe or overripe fruit will not gel. Fruits containing enough natural pectin to form a gel include crab apples, tart apples, sour blackberries, sour boysenberries, most plums, cranberries, lemons, and wild grapes (Eastern Concord variety). Fruits usually low in pectin are sweet cherries, quince, ripe blackberries, sour cherries, grapefruit, grape juice, grapes, melons, and oranges. With these latter fruits, you will usually need to add pectin. Fruits always requiring added pectin are peaches, pears, figs, apricots, elderberries, strawberries, raspberries, grapes (Western Concord variety), guava, and pomegranates.

At this point, you could really only add Pomonas Universal pectin, normally ordered online, or use Clear Jell, usually used for pie fillings, and also ordered online , to thicken your "syrup".