title: Comparison of the chemical compositions and nutritive values of various pumpkin (Cucurbitaceae) species and parts.
abstract: Pumpkins have considerable variation in nutrient contents depending on the cultivation environment, species, or part. In this study, the general chemical compositions and some bioactive components, such as tocopherols, carotenoids, and β-sitosterol, were analyzed in three major species of pumpkin (Cucurbitaceae pepo, C. moschata, and C. maxima) grown in Korea and also in three parts (peel, flesh, and seed) of each pumpkin species. C. maxima had significantly more carbohydrate, protein, fat, and fiber than C. pepo or C. moschata (P < 0.05). The moisture content as well as the amino acid and arginine contents in all parts of the pumpkin was highest in C. pepo. The major fatty acids in the seeds were palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids. C. pepo and C. moschata seeds had significantly more γ-tocopherol than C. maxima, whose seeds had the highest β-carotene content. C. pepo seeds had significantly more β-sitosterol than the others. Nutrient compositions differed considerably among the pumpkin species and parts. These results will be useful in updating the nutrient compositions of pumpkin in the Korean food composition database. Additional analyses of various pumpkins grown in different years and in different areas of Korea are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Natunal Sciences, Chung-Ang University, 4726 Seodong-daero, Daedeok-myeon, Anseong-si, Gyeonggi 456-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun Jin
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young-Nam
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Changsun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Bog-Hieu
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lee