Influence of Storage Temperature on Chemical
Results and Discussion
al., 2002). However, the possibility of differences in the
composition of pumpkin pulp may be due to variety, stress,
Chemical composition of edible portion of pumpkin
environment, geographical and cultivation practices.
fruit
Nevertheless, there is good measure of agreement with
The data obtained regarding the chemical composition
regard to carotene content of the fruit.
of fresh pumpkin pulp i.e. moisture, TSS, carbohydrate,
protein, fat, crude fibre, ash, carotene, ascorbic acid,
Chemical composition of pumpkin powder
calcium, phosphorous, iron content etc. are presented in
Pumpkin powder as produced using optimized processing,
Table 1. All determinations are carried out in triplicate
was analyzed for moisture, carbohydrate, protein, fat,
and the average values are reported.
crude fibre, ash, carotene, vit. C, calcium, phosphorus,
potassium, iron content and water activity (aw). All
Table 1. Chemical composition of pumpkin pulp
determinations were carried out in triplicate and the
average values are reported in Table 2.
Sr. No.
Parameter
Composition a
1
Moisture (%)
95.06+0.482
Table 2. Chemical composition of pumpkin powder
2
TSS ( O Bx)
3+0.00
3
Carbohydrate (%)
2.65+0.151
Sr. No.
Parameters
Composition a
4
Protein (%)
1.44+0.031
1
Moisture (% db)
3.65+ 0.01
5
Fat (%)
0.34+0.028
2
Carbohydrate (%)
83.19+ 0.59
6
Crude fibre (%)
0.77+0.015
3
Protein (%)
6.21+ 0.02
7
Ash (%)
0.51+0.027
4
Fat (%)
1.61+ 0.02
8
Carotene (mg/100 g)
3.0+0.028
5
Crude fibre (%)
3.88+ 0.02
9
Vit. C (mg/100 g)
2.42+0.031
6
Ash (%)
4.77+ 0.05
10
Calcium (%)
0.026+0.004
7
Carotene (mg%)
42.2+ 0.09
11
Phosphorous (%)
0.036+0.002
8
Vit. C (mg%)
0.31+ 0.03
12
pH
6.48+0.1
9
Calcium (%)
0.103+ 0.00
13
Pottassium (%)
0.07+0.03
10
Phosphorous (%)
0.215+ 0.00
14
Iron (ppm)
8.21+0.17
11
Potassium (%)
0.84+ 0.04
a Mean + SD
12
Iron (ppm)
92.66+ 13.42
13
Water activity ( a w )
0.267+ 0.01
The results indicate that the pumpkin pulp had very high
a Mean + SD
moisture content of 95.06% (wb), thus pumpkin fruit is
grouped under the category of perishable commodity. The
The results illustrate that the pumpkin powder had a very
protein and fat were estimated to the tune of 1.44 and
low moisture content of 3.65% (db) with a water activity
0.34%, respectively, which are very less. Carbohydrate
(aw) of 0.267.
and crude fibre were found to be moderately high i.e. 2.65
The major contributor in nutritional composition of
and 0.77%, respectively. The content of micronutrients in
pumpkin powder is carbohydrate which was estimated to
the pumpkin pulp such as carotene (3 mg /100 g) was
the tune of 83.19% and crude fibre was around 3.88%.
found to be very high while vitamin C and minerals such
The protein and fat content were 6.21 and 1.61%,
as Ca, P, Fe and K were also present in considerable
respectively. The major functional constituent of pumpkin
amounts.
powder is carotene content which was estimated at 42.2
The results obtained are in good accordance with the
mg/100g and relatively vit.C was much lower to the tune
results reported by several other investigators for pumpkin
of 0.31 mg/100g. In mineral matter, the ash content was
(Teotia., 1992; Pawar et al., 1985; Park et al., 1997; Lee et
4.77% which comprised of minerals such as calcium,
423