Studies On Nutritional Assessment And Anti-complementary Activity Of Different Pumpkin Varieties

Pumpkin has plenty of nutritional ingredients and physiologically active substances, which supply some medicinal values for people. The organoleptic evaluation, nutrient contents, flavor substances and anti-complementary activities were studied for the twenty pumpkin varieties. In addition, the nutritive values were compared for the same pumpkin varieties harvested in spring and autumn.The twenty pumpkin varieties were degusted with point system for organoleptic evaluation, results showed that Jingyinli pumpkin was the best taste and most of pumpkin varieties had good sensory qualities. In the six aspects of the sensory qualities(sweetness, flavor, texture, color, moisture and integrality), color was non-correlated with the others; moisture was negatively correlated with the others; sweetness was positively correlated with the others.The twenty pumpkin varieties were determined for main nutrient contents. The content of Vitamin C ranged from 5.99 to 27.13 mg/100g·FW; protein ranged from 0.92 to 3.41 g/100g·FW; fibre ranged from 0.72 to 1.01 g/100g·FW; soluble total sugar ranged from 2.39 to 8.27 g/100g·FW; content of sucrose, glucose and fructose in the range of 0.62-3.13 g/100g·FW, 0.34-1.97 g/100g·FW, 0.42~1.19g/100g·FW, respectively; beta-carotene ranged from 0.32 to 5.06 mg/100g·FW ; K content were the highest among the mineral elements of pumpkins, Ca and P content were higher than others. In addition, nutrient contents were different among different pumpkin varieties. Liziman and Xiaoguanlong pumpkin has the highest average nutritive values, they were the best materials for pumpkin breeding and health food production.Mineral element contents of autumn pumpkin were higher than in spring. The accumulation of nutrient substances in red pumpkins have the advantage of green pumpkins in autumn.Flavor substances of pumpkin (Jingyinli) were qualitatively analyzed and 22 kinds of chemical components were identified by GC-MS. The main compounds extracted are Bornyl acetate, Camphol and 4-methy- Phenol, respectively. The fragrance substances inpumpkins were primary esters, aldehydes, terpenoids and volatile acid et al. The most of flavor substances were easy evaporable.The pumpkin fruit of twenty varieties was studied the anti-complementary activity of ethanol extracts and hydrosoluble total sugar. The results showed that different pumpkin varieties have different anti-complementary activity of ethanol extracts ranged from 67.86% to 80.58%. The anti-complementary activity of ethanol extracts of the same pumpkin was higher hydrosoluble total sugar. Pumpkin has anti-complementary activity components, which possess of different inhibitory action.The study of nutritional ingredients in pumpkin varieties was affluent in food component database and offered theoretical basis for pumpkin quality improvement. In addition , higher activity pumpkin varieties were screened with different anti-complementary activity, which provided data base for extraction favorable active ingredients in health foods and clinical medicines. Research on pumpkin nutritional traits have positive meaning for health, consumption and food structural readjustment in China.