Chemical Composition and Physicochemical Properties of Pumpkin Seeds (Cucurbita pepo Subsp. pepo Var. Styriaka) Grown in Iran

Chemical composition and physicochemical properties of pumpkin seeds and fatty acids of their oil were determined. It was found that the seeds contained ۴۱.۵۹% oil and ۲۵.۴% protein. Moisture, crude fiber, total ash, and carbohydrate contents were ۵.۲%, ۵.۳۴%, ۲.۴۹%, and ۲۵.۱۹%, respectively. The specific gravity, dynamic viscosity, and refractive index of the extracted pumpkin seed oil were ۰.۹۱۵, ۹۳.۶۵۹ cP, and ۱.۴۶۶۲, respectively. Acid value (mg KOH/g oil), peroxide value (meq O۲/kg oil), iodine value (g I۲/۱۰۰ g oil), saponification number (mg KOH/ g oil), and unsaponifiable matter content (%) of the extracted oil from pumpkin seeds were ۰.۷۸, ۰.۳۹, ۱۰.۸۵, ۱۰۴.۳۶, ۱۹۰.۶۹, and ۵.۷۳, respectively. Total phenolics compounds (mg gallic acid/kg oil), total tocopherols (mg α-tocopherol/kg oil), total sterols (%), and waxes (%) were ۶۶.۲۷, ۸۸۲.۶۵, ۱.۸۶, and ۱.۵۸, respectively. Specific extinctions at two wavelengths of ۲۳۲ nm (K۲۳۲) and ۲۷۰ nm (K۲۷۰) and R-value (K۲۳۲/K۲۷۰) were ۳.۸۰, ۳.۵۲ and ۰.۷۴, respectively. Gas chromatographic analysis of the pumpkin seed oil showed that the linoleic (۳۹.۸۴%), oleic (۳۸.۴۲%), palmitic (۱۰.۶۸%) and stearic (۸.۶۷%) acids were the major fatty acids. Compared with other vegetable oils, the present study revealed that pumpkin seed oil can be a valuable source of edible oil.

Keywords:

Physicochemical properties , Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo var. Styriaca , Fatty acid composition , Pumpkin seed oil