A comparative study of the properties of 10 variety melon seeds and seed oils

Abstract

The moisture content of seeds of the melon varieties varied between 4.8%–6.3%, the ash interval 2.5%–3.5%, the crude oil 19.4%–33.0%, the crude protein 30.4%–37.2%, and the crude cellulose value 1.5%–2.7%. Flavonoid contents of seeds were found between 134 and 257 mg CE/kg, and the total phenol contents were found between 615 and 850 mg GAE/kg. The phosphorus contents of melon seeds changed between 5,912 and 8,964 mg/kg. The seed oils contained 57.1%–74.7% linoleic, 13.0%–28.4% oleic, and 7.0%–10.1% palmitic acids. While α-tocopherol contents of oils varied between 1.8 mg/kg (Kırkağaç-Dalaman) and 10.4 mg/100 g (Çankırı winter), γ-tocopherol contents of oils changed between 6.6 mg/100 g (Mühürlü) and 30.0 mg/100 g (Çankırı winter). The cholesterol, brassicasterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, sitosterol, and sitostanol contents were the main sterols for Chocolate variety oil (13.73, 14.21, 27.41, 38.05, 152.04, and 117.57 mg/kg, respectively).The ∆5-avenasterol (116.62 mg/kg) and ∆7-avenasterol (31.28 mg/kg) were significantly (p < .05) high in Çankırı winter. ∆7-stigmastenol content was dominated in Kırkağaç-Dalaman seed oil (143.69 mg/kg). Practical applications Seeds belonging to Cucurbitaceae family are known to be as rich in oil. The fatty acid profile plays an important role in their stabiliy and nutritional value. The high content oil showing useful characteristics such as odorlessness, good color. Melon seed oil rich in the bioactive components. These seeds suitable for oil industrial applications. Because many of these oils were used as cooking oil in some countries in Africa and in the Middle East, the melon seed oils could be developed into the commercial products to serve as alternate vegetable oils.