Ashiq Hussain, Tusneem Kausar, Sawera Sehar, Ayesha Sarwar, Abdul Haseeb Ashraf, Muhammad Abdullah Jamil, Saima Noreen, Ayesha Rafique, Khansa Iftikhar, Muhammad Yousaf Quddoos

Determination of Total Phenolics, Flavonoids, Carotenoids, β-Carotene and DPPH Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Biscuits Developed with Different Replacement Levels of Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) Peel, Flesh and Seeds Powders

Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Lam.) is a well-known, extensively grown and consumed crop, world- wide. Pumpkins are natural and rich source of potential bioactive compounds. The presence of active phytochemicals makes these fruits a great matrix to be further exploited for therapeutic purposes, beyond biotechnological applications. Peel, flesh and seeds of this fruit are heavily loaded with phenolics, flavonoids and carotenoids, which are the main tributes of this functional and medicinal food. Present study was designed to utilize these parts of pumpkin in the form of powders, at 0, 5, 10 and 15% replacement levels with white flour, to develop biscuits and to obtain methanolic extracts of these biscuits to determine their phytochemical parameters. Among the different treatment biscuits, highest amount of total phenolics (101.79 mg GAE/100 g), flavonoids (60.74 mg CE/ 100 g) and DPPH free radical scavenging activity (38.00 mg AAE/100 g) was found in biscuits with 15% replacement of pumpkin seeds powder, while biscuits with 15% replacement of pumpkin flesh powder exhibited highest amount of total carotenoid contents (6.95 mg/ 100 g) and β carotene (2.86 mg/100 g). Functional biscuits developed from replacement of pumpkin parts powders with wheat flour may be offered to patients facing oxidative stress, degenerative diseases and diabetes. These biscuits can be offered to children for better growth and development. Consumers awareness through proper marketing at commercial level with proper labelling of nutritional facts, may lead to increased demand of this functional and medicinal food rich in bio actives.

PDF

___

Abdo A, Al-Khalifa A, Ahmed M, Al-Dalali S, Zhang C, Alwarafi M, Alqah H. 2020. Comparison of antioxidative activity of extracts from three parts of two pumpkin varieties (Cucurbita moschata) grown in Saudi Arabia. European Academic Research, 8: 1733-1745.
Abou El Samh MM, Sherein AA, Essam HH. 2013. Properties and antioxidant activity of probiotic yoghurt flavored with black carrot, pumpkin and strawberry. International Journal of Dairy Science, 8: 48-57.
Ajila CM, Leelavathi KUJS, Rao UP. 2008. Improvement of dietary fiber content and antioxidant properties in soft dough biscuits with the incorporation of mango peel powder. Journal of cereal science, 48: 319-326.
Akgul H, Mohammed FS, Kına E, Uysal I, Sevindik M, Dogan M. 2022. Total Antioxidant and Oxidant Status and DPPH Free radical activity of Euphorbia eriophora. Turkish Journal of Agriculture-Food Science and Technology, 10: 272-275.
Algarni EHA. 2020. Nutritive Value of Sponge Cake and Pancakes Fortified with Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant of Pumpkin Flour. Journal of Biochemical Technology, 11: 24-32.
Alshehry GA. 2020. Preparation And Nutritional Properties of Cookies from The Partial Replacement of Wheat Flour Using Pumpkin Seeds Powder. World Journal of Environmental Biosciences, 9: 48-56.
Asif M, Raza NSA, Sherazi TA, Ahmad M, Zahoor AF, Shahzad SA, Mahmood N. 2017. Antioxidant, antibacterial and antiproliferative activities of pumpkin (cucurbit) peel and puree extracts-an in vitro study. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences, 30: 1327-1334.
Aydin E, Gocmen D. 2015. The influences of drying method and metabisulfite pre-treatment on the color, functional properties and phenolic acids contents and bioaccessibility of pumpkin flour. LWT-Food Science and Technology, 60: 385-392.
Babiker HA, Oudghiri-Hassani H. 2018. Comparative evaluation of total phenolic content, total flavonoids content and antioxidants activity in Skin and Pulp extracts of Cucurbita maxima. Moroccan Journal of Chemistry, 6: 218-226.
Barakat H, Hassan MF. 2017. Chemical, nutritional, rheological, and organoleptical characterizations of stirred pumpkin- yoghurt. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 8: 746.
Białek M, Rutkowska J, Adamska A, Bajdalow E. 2016. Partial replacement of wheat flour with pumpkin seed flour in muffins offered to children. CyTA-Journal of Food, 14: 391-398.
Bochnak J, Swieca M. 2020. Potentially bioaccessible phenolics, antioxidant capacities and the colour of carrot, pumpkin and apple powders–effect of drying temperature and sample structure. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 55: 136-145.
Brand-Williams W, Cuvelier ME, Berset CLWT. 1995. Use of a free radical method to evaluate antioxidant activity. LWT- Food science and Technology, 28: 25-30.
Chen Q, Lyu Y, Bi J, Wu X, Jin X, Qiao Y, Lyu C. 2019. Quality assessment and variety classification of seed used pumpkin by products: Potential values to deep processing. Food science and nutrition, 7: 4095-4104.
Choi HY. 2009. Antioxidant activity and quality characteristics of pine needle cookies. Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition, 38: 1414-1421.
De Carvalho LMJ, Gomes PB, De Oliveira GRL, Pacheco S, Do Monte PHF, De Carvalho JLV, Ramos SRR. 2012. Total carotenoid content, α-carotene and β-carotene, of landrace pumpkins (Cucurbita moschata Duch): A preliminary study. Food Research International, 47: 337-340.
Dhiman AK, Bavita K, Attri S, Ramachandran P. 2018. Preparation of pumpkin powder and pumpkin seed kernel powder for supplementation in weaning mix and cookies. International Journal of Chemical Studies, 6: 167-175.
Ertas N, Aslan M. 2020. A Study on the Potential of Using Melon Wastes in Biscuit Production. Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım ve Doğa Dergisi, 23: 1216-1224.
Gurung B, Ojha P, Subba D. 2016. Effect of mixing pumpkin puree with wheat flour on physical, nutritional and sensory characteristics of biscuit. Journal of Food Science and Technology Nepal, 9: 85-89.
Hussain A, Kausar T, Din A, Murtaza MA, Jamil MA, Noreen S, Ramzan MA. 2021. Determination of total phenolic, flavonoid, carotenoid, and mineral contents in peel, flesh, and seeds of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima). Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, e15542.
Indrianti NN, Sholichah E, Afifah N. 2021. Pumpkin flour effects on antioxidant activity, texture, and sensory attributes of flat tubers noodle. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, Vol. 1011, No. 1, p. 012007. IOP Publishing.
Ismail T, Akhtar S, Riaz M, Ismail A. 2014. Effect of pomegranate peel supplementation on nutritional, organoleptic and stability properties of cookies. International journal of food sciences and nutrition, 65: 661-666.
Jukić M, Lukinac J, Čuljak J, Pavlović M, Šubarić D, Koceva KD. 2019. Quality evaluation of biscuits produced from composite blends of pumpkin seed oil press cake and wheat flour. International journal of food science & technology, 54: 602- 609.
Kaur M, Sharma S. 2017. Formulation and nutritional evaluation of cookies supplemented with pumpkin seed (Curcubita Moschata) flour. Chemical Science Review Letters, 6: 2236- 2241.
Kına E, Uysal I, Mohammed FS, Dogan M, Sevindik M. 2021. In-vitro antioxidant and oxidant properties of Centaurea rigida. Turkish Journal of Agriculture-Food Science and Technology, 9: 1905-1907.
Kulkarni AS, Joshi DC. 2013. Effect of replacement of wheat flour with pumpkin powder on textural and sensory qualities of biscuit. International Food Research Journal, 20: 587.
Kvapil MF, Rodríguez SDC, Qüesta AG, Mascheroni RH. 2021. Evaluation of process conditions on osmotic dehydration and quality indexes of pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) and further polymeric film selection for packaging and refrigerated storage. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 56: 1959-1971.
Mala KS, Kurian AE. 2016. Nutritional composition and antioxidant activity of pumpkin wastes. International Journal of Pharmaceutical, Chemical & Biological Sciences, 6: 336- 344.
Malkanthi A, Hiremath US. 2020. Pumpkin powder (Cucurbita maxima)-supplemented string hoppers as a functional food. International Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences, 9: 2.
Malkanthi HHA, Umadevi SH, Jamuna KV. 2018. Glycemic response and antioxidant activity of pumpkin seed powder (Cucurbita maxima) blended biscuits. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 7: 1877-1882.
Mohammed FS, Sabik AE, Sevindik E, Pehlivan M, Sevindik M. 2020. Determination of Antioxidant and Oxidant Potentials of Thymbra spicata Collected from Duhok-Iraq. Turkish Journal of Agriculture-Food Science and Technology, 8: 1171-1173.
Mojarad LS, Mahdikhani S. 2020. The study effect of using pumpkin flour on the preparation of diet biscuits and its sensory and physicochemical properties. Food Science and Technology, 17: 31-46.
Nyam KL, Lau M, Tan CP. 2013. Fibre from pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) seeds and rinds: physico-chemical properties, antioxidant capacity and application as bakery product ingredients. Malaysian Journal of Nutrition, 19: 99-109.
Odunlade TV, Famuwagun AA, Orekoya OO, Taiwo KA, Gbadamosi SO, Oyedele DJ, Adebooye OC. 2017. Development of maize ogi powder fortified with polyphenolic rich extract from fluted pumpkin leaves. In African Vegetables Forum 1238 (pp. 93-104).
Pasanda IM, Suryanto E, Djarkasi G. 2019. Formulation of Composite Flour with Antioxidant from Goroho Plantain Flour (Musa acuminafe, sp.) and Yellow Pumpkin Flour (Cucurbita moschata) and Its Application on Biscuit Making. Indonesian Food and Nutrition Progress, 16: 15-21.
Pongjanta J, Naulbunrang A, Kawngdang S, Manon T, Thepjaikat T. 2006. Utilization of pumpkin powder in bakery products. Songklanakarin Journal of Science and Technology, 28: 71-79.
Provesi JG, Amante ER. 2015. Carotenoids in pumpkin and impact of processing treatments and storage. In Processing and Impact on Active Components in Food (pp. 71-80). Academic Press.
Que F, Mao L, Fang X, Wu T. 2008. Comparison of hot air drying and freeze drying on the physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch.) flours. International journal of food science and technology, 43: 1195-1201.
Rozyło R, Gawlik-Dziki U, Dziki D, Jakubczyk A, Karas M, Rozyło K. 2014. Wheat bread with pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima L.) pulp as a functional food product. Food technology and biotechnology, 52: 430-438.
Saleh EH, Mansour EH, Youssef HE. 2019. Utilization of pumpkin fractions in the preparation of pan bread as a functional food. In 6th Annual International Scientific Conference, Specific studies and their role in activating tourism for the development of the national economy, Tanta University, Faculty of Specific Education, March (Vol. 6, No. 9).
Salehi B, Sharifi-Rad J, Capanoglu E, Adrar N, Catalkaya G, Shaheen S, Cho WC. 2019. Cucurbita plants: From farm to industry. Applied Sciences: 9: 3387.
Salehi F. 2020. Recent applications of powdered fruits and vegetables as novel ingredients in biscuits: a review. Nutrire, 45: 1-10.
Shen Y, Jin L, Xiao P, Lu Y, Bao J. 2009. Total phenolics, flavonoids, antioxidant capacity in rice grain and their relations to grain color, size and weight. Journal of Cereal Science, 49: 106-111.
Singh J, Singh V, Shukla S, Rai AK. 2016. Phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of selected cucurbit fruits extracted with different solvents. Journal of Nutritional Food Science, 6: 1-8.
Toan NV, Thuy NTT. 2018. Production of high-quality flour and the made biscuits from Pumpkin. International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, 3: 157-166.
Uysal I, Mohammed FS, Sabik AE, Kına E, Sevindik M. 2021. Antioxidant and Oxidant status of medicinal plant Echium italicum collected from different regions. Turkish Journal of Agriculture-Food Science and Technology, 9: 1902-1904.
Valenzuela GM, Soro AS, Tauguinas AL, Gruszycki MR, Cravzov AL, Giménez MC, Wirth A. 2014. Evaluation polyphenol content and antioxidant activity in extracts of Cucurbita spp. Open Access Library Journal, 1: 1-6.
Zaki NL, Sheir MA, Sakr AM. 2018. The efficiency of some natural beta-carotene sources in improving the quality of the cake. Sciences, 8: 1437-1450.
Zdunic GM, Menković N, Jadranin M, Novaković M, Savikin KP, Zivkovic JC. 2016. Phenolic compounds and carotenoids in pumpkin fruit and related traditional products. Hemijska industrija 70: 429-433.