Abstract
Plants and animals are sources of various bioactive compounds that exhibit a broad spectrum of health-promoting effects. Scientists continue studies on the chemical composition of many products in search of foods with high nutritional value. The pumpkin (Cucurbita sp.) is unquestionably a source of valuable nutrients. This vegetable is well-known all over the world and it is appreciated due to its high content of carotenoids, but it is still not much used in the processing industry. The aim of present study was to compare the flesh of 15 pumpkin varieties belonging to the Cucurbita pepo and C. moschata species in terms of the bioactive compound content (carotenoids, phenolic acids, flavonols, minerals and vitamins) and to demonstrate whether the variety has an effect on the chemical composition. To date, no such extensive research has been carried out in this area. The research revealed that the pumpkin pulp had high content of carotenoids. In nearly all cases lutein was the most abundant carotenoid. Numerous phenolic acids and flavonols were also identified. All the cultivars contained gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and rutin. The pumpkin pulp also contained alpha- and gamma-tocopherol. No beta- or delta-tocopherol was found. Potassium, calcium, and sodium were the most abundant minerals. The research also proved that the profile of bioactive compounds in the pumpkin pulp was considerably diversified and depended on the species and cultivar
Highlights
Bioactive compounds are an area of dieticians and food technologists’ interest
The aim of this study was to compare the content of bioactive compounds: carotenoids, polyphenols, flavonoids, tocopherols, minerals, vitamin C, B1, and folates in 15 cultivars of two pumpkin species, Cucurbita pepo L. and Cucurbita moschata Duchesne ex Poir
The results showed that the cultivars of both pumpkin species were characterized by low content of chlorogenic acid
Summary
Bioactive compounds are an area of dieticians and food technologists’ interest. They are used for the production of enriched food with enhanced health-promoting properties, which is an important element of the human diet. Food manufacturers are increasingly willing to use bioactive compounds to enhance the health-promoting properties of food products. An example of such food are yoghurts with inulin, chlorella- or spirulina-enriched bars, eggs enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, margarines with the addition of plant sterols, and lycopene drinks. Bioactive compounds include components derived from plants and animals, which are beneficial to health when consumed [1,2]. The group of bioactive compounds includes the following components: vitamins, minerals, terpenes, polyphenols, carotenoids, prebiotics, probiotics, soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, stanols, sterols, amino acids, bioactive proteins, peptides, Molecules 2019, 24, 2945; doi:10.3390/molecules24162945 www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules
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