Physico-chemical characterisation of pumpkin seeds

Different physicochemical characteristics of pumpkin seeds were analysed for whole pumpkin seed and kernels. The length, width, thickness and geometric mean diameter of whole pumpkin seed were found to be 16.81±0.91 mm, 8.87±0.61 mm, 2.75±0.18 mm and 7.42±0.35 mm respectively, while the corresponding values for kernel were found to be 11.65±0.69 mm, 5.80±0.26 mm, 2.52±0.29 mm and 5.54±0.29 mm respectively. The seeds had a lower bulk density and a higher true density than the kernels. The porosity and 1000 seed weight of whole pumpkin seed were also higher than the kernel. The husk content of the pumpkin seed is 26.75±0.98%. Both whole pumpkin seed and kernels has high nutritional values. The proximate composition of moisture, protein, crude fat, crude fibre, ash and carbohydrate for whole pumpkin seed were 5.53±0.26%, 28.90±1.36%, 31.75±0.45%, 4.59±1.01%, 6.90±0.14% and 27.86±1.50% while the corresponding composition of kernel were 4.43±0.44%, 31.98±1.18%, 38.29±1.51%, 4.26±0.43%, 2.36±0.10% and 33.11±2.94% respectively. The free fatty acid composition of pumpkin seed kernels was highest in linoleic acid (37.89%) and least in linolenic acid (0.18%). The mineral content of pumpkin seed kernels were Zinc, Phosphorus, manganese, potassium, magnesium, copper, calcium, iron, sodium and cobalt respectively.