Quality assessment and variety classification of seed‐used pumpkin by‐products: Potential values to deep processing

Seed‐used pumpkin (SUP) is known as a traditional popular crop, which is mainly processed for seeds. However, the by‐products (49 times the amount of seeds) were disposed directly into the field as waste. In this study, potential values of seed‐used pumpkins’ by‐products (SUPBs, peel and pulp) as food resource were investigated. Physico‐chemical, nutritional, and aroma profile of ten varieties of SUPBs were characterized, and variety differences were also distinguished. Peel “a*” value, water, fructose, crude fat, sucrose, and Ca contents were the 6 characteristic indicators of SUPBs which screened through correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and PCA‐X model. Comprehensive evaluation of physico‐chemical, nutritional, and aroma profile, four varieties by‐products (Jf8#, Nf8#, Rbf#, and Rf9#) were always characterized into Cluster Ⅰ. Other varieties were classified into Cluster Ⅱ based on aroma profile. However, two varieties by‐products (Db1# and Xn1#) presented significant differences from others (Db2#, Db3#, Db4#, and Myxc2#) in physico‐chemical and nutritional indices, they were classified as Cluster III and IV, respectively. Db1# had the highest nutritional value of soluble solid (11.78 ºBx), pectin (1,166.15 mg/ 100 g), total carotenoid (19.57 mg/ 100 g), and total sugar (13.69 g/ 100 g). Among all the SUPBs, Db1# had a relatively higher nutritional value, which was suitable as food resource for deep processing.