Nutritional quality characteristics of pumpkin fruit as revealed by its biochemical analysis

Growing population, together with unpredictable climatic changes and dwindling fertile land, has forced to explore the alternate underutilized flora from the rich biome. There is a great opportunity for economic growth in agriculture system by introducing underutilized commodity in market place. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to elucidate the nutritional potential of an important underutilized fruit of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima D.) at its sequential stages of development. Changes in various physico-biochemical properties such as pH, titratable acidity (TA), carbohydrates, free amino acids, total proteins, total phenols, carotenoids, ascorbic acid and the specific activities of softening enzymes (β-galactosidase, cellulase, pectin methylesterase and polygalacturonase), hydrolytic enzymes (amylase and invertase) and antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbic acid oxidase) were investigated. The results revealed that pumpkin fruits on ripening accumulated considerable amount of carotenoids, vitamin C and proteins along with carbohydrates. Due to enhanced activities of amylase and invertase during ripening of pumpkin fruit, starch degradation occurred concomitantly with the increasing pattern of reducing sugars and total sugars. β-galactosidase and cellulase enzymes actively involved in cell wall degradation than that of pectin methylesterase (PME) and polygalacturonase (PG), while the activities of antioxidant enzymes exhibited declining pattern towards its maturation and ripening. The physico-biochemical study of particular commodity would be useful to assist in the selection of fruit at appropriate stage of development and its utilization in acceptable manner.