Title: | Chemical composition and functional characterisation of commercial pumpkin seed oil |
Author(s): | Procida G; Stancher B; Cateni F; Zacchigna M; |
Address: | "Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, P.zle Europa 1, I-34127 Trieste, Italy" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1097-0010 (Electronic) 0022-5142 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "BACKGROUND: Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) seed oil is a common product in Slovenia, Hungary and Austria and is considered a preventive agent for various pathologies, particularly prostate diseases. These properties are related to its high content of carotenoids and liposoluble vitamins. In this study the carotenoid (lutein and zeaxanthin), vitamin E (alpha- and gamma-tocopherol) and fatty acid contents of 12 samples of commercial pumpkin seed oil were investigated together with the composition of the volatile fraction resulting from the roasting process. RESULTS: The aromatic profile obtained from the commercial samples was directly related to the intensity of the roasting process of the crushed pumpkin seeds. The roasting temperature played a crucial role in the concentrations of volatile substances originating from Strecker degradation, lipid peroxidation and Maillard reaction. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that high-temperature roasting leads to the production of an oil with intense aromatic characteristics, while mild conditions, generally employed to obtain an oil with professed therapeutic characteristics, lead to a product with minor characteristic pumpkin seed oil aroma. The nutraceutical properties of the product are confirmed by the high content of alpha- and gamma-tocopherol and carotenoids" |
Keywords: | Antioxidants/analysis Carotenoids/*analysis Condiments/analysis Cucurbita/*chemistry Dietary Supplements/analysis Ethnopharmacology Fatty Acids/*analysis Food Handling Hot Temperature Humans Hydrolysis Italy Lipid Peroxidation Maillard Reaction Nutritive; |
Notes: | "MedlineProcida, Giuseppe Stancher, Bruno Cateni, Francesca Zacchigna, Marina eng Comparative Study England 2012/09/01 J Sci Food Agric. 2013 Mar 30; 93(5):1035-41. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.5843. Epub 2012 Aug 30" |