Scientists from the Braganza Polytechnic Institute found that the inedible parts of the pumpkin contain substances with antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. The research was published in the journal molecules.
Although pumpkin pulp has a wide range of uses, its by-products, which may contain polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals and carotenoids, are insufficiently used or discarded. In a new study, chemists evaluated the content and effects of biologically active substances found in the fibers, seeds and skins of various varieties of Algerian and Portuguese pumpkins.
The authors identified eight flavonoids from pumpkin byproducts. They were especially numerous in the shell – up to 9.4 mg/g. The seeds have also been found to be rich in antioxidants.
All Portuguese pumpkin samples showed antibacterial activity against food poisoning. Y. enterocolitica and mushroom brasiliensisand a pumpkin from Algeria – related to Staphylococcus aureus aureus and mushroom fumigatus. Even at 400 µg/mL, the highest concentration tested, none of the samples were toxic to porcine liver cells.
The results of the study confirm the importance of processing food by-products for use in various industries, including cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.