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SOFTENING OF PUMPKIN SEEDS ( CUCURBITA MOSCHATA ) BY ALKALINE MACERATION

2008; Wiley; Volume: 31; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1745-4530.2007.00163.x

1745-4530

Sônia Maria Beiro Caramez, Marcia A. Stefani, João de Deus Medeiros, Manoela Alano Vieira, Gustavo R. Brüske, Alícia de Francisco, Edna Regina Amante,

Microbial Metabolites in Food Biotechnology

ABSTRACT The nutritional value of pumpkin seeds is widely recognized. This article shows that alkaline maceration of pumpkin seed makes them soft and improves their market acceptability as an important source of fiber, unsaturated lipids, minerals and proteins. Microscopic characterization of pumpkin seeds was realized. The results indicate elimination of minerals from the seeds through the delignification process due to the nature of the phenolic compounds eliminated in the maceration liquid. The alkaline maceration process of pumpkin seeds may contribute to a larger consumption of fibers and other nutritive elements from them. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This work shows that the pumpkin seeds softened by chemical maceration improve sensory preferences, compared to nonmacerated products. Solid waste from pumpkin process can be converted to a new product as a snack rich in fiber and other important compounds, normally discarded as an industrial solid waste.