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Proximate Composition of Pumpkin Gourd (Cucurbita Pepo) Seeds from Zimbabwe

Received: 11 June 2014     Accepted: 24 June 2014     Published: 30 June 2014
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Abstract

Curcubita pepo seeds have been widely consumed in Zimbabwe way back in the 1970s, but still locally, there is no data on the nutritional quality of Curcubita pepo seeds, hence the study attempted to avail this information. Curcubita pepo seeds from selected places in Zimbabwe were analysed. The proximate analysis including major nutrients and minerals were determined. The C. pepo seed had a moisture content of 5.662±0.016gkg-1. Significantly, Curcubita pepo had high amounts of crude oil and proteins as compared to other edible oil rich seeds. The crude oil content and protein were 43.460±0.098gkg-1 and 32.860±0.103gkg-1 respectively. Other components such as carbohydrates, crude fibre and energy were 12.160±0.142gkg-1, 2.578±0.007gkg-1 and 562.82±0.132gkg-1 correspondingly. Ash content was 3.324±0.010gkg-1 which was further analysed into various major minerals giving analysed means as Na (67.956±0.037gkg-1), Zn (1.244±0.010gkg-1), P (1040.8±0.663gkg-1), Fe (11.980±0.086gkg-1), Ca (141±0.316gkg-1) and Mg (344.6±0.245gkg-1). The findings indicated that C. pepo seeds are a good alternative source of highly nutritious food for instance proteins and lipids as well as minerals (Mg, Ca, Zn, P and Fe) that could greatly contribute to human nutritional requirements. However, it still remains important to further profile the quality of the lipids and proteins from C. pepo seed so as to verify their essentiality and availability to the human body as well as evaluating the presence of other bioactive and antinutritional factors that might be present in these seeds.

Published in International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences (Volume 3, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20140304.17
Page(s) 279-283
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2014. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Proximate, Cucurbita Pepo, Nutrition, Seed

References
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Cite This Article
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    Raphael Kwiri, Clive Winini, Amos Musengi, Misheck Mudyiwa, Clarice Nyambi, et al. (2014). Proximate Composition of Pumpkin Gourd (Cucurbita Pepo) Seeds from Zimbabwe. International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences, 3(4), 279-283. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnfs.20140304.17

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    ACS Style

    Raphael Kwiri; Clive Winini; Amos Musengi; Misheck Mudyiwa; Clarice Nyambi, et al. Proximate Composition of Pumpkin Gourd (Cucurbita Pepo) Seeds from Zimbabwe. Int. J. Nutr. Food Sci. 2014, 3(4), 279-283. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20140304.17

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    AMA Style

    Raphael Kwiri, Clive Winini, Amos Musengi, Misheck Mudyiwa, Clarice Nyambi, et al. Proximate Composition of Pumpkin Gourd (Cucurbita Pepo) Seeds from Zimbabwe. Int J Nutr Food Sci. 2014;3(4):279-283. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20140304.17

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijnfs.20140304.17,
      author = {Raphael Kwiri and Clive Winini and Amos Musengi and Misheck Mudyiwa and Clarice Nyambi and Perkins Muredzi and Abigail Malunga},
      title = {Proximate Composition of Pumpkin Gourd (Cucurbita Pepo) Seeds from Zimbabwe},
      journal = {International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences},
      volume = {3},
      number = {4},
      pages = {279-283},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijnfs.20140304.17},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnfs.20140304.17},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijnfs.20140304.17},
      abstract = {Curcubita pepo seeds have been widely consumed in Zimbabwe way back in the 1970s, but still locally, there is no data on the nutritional quality of Curcubita pepo seeds, hence the study attempted to avail this information. Curcubita pepo seeds from selected places in Zimbabwe were analysed. The proximate analysis including major nutrients and minerals were determined. The C. pepo seed had a moisture content of 5.662±0.016gkg-1. Significantly, Curcubita pepo had high amounts of crude oil and proteins as compared to other edible oil rich seeds. The crude oil content and protein were 43.460±0.098gkg-1 and 32.860±0.103gkg-1 respectively. Other components such as carbohydrates, crude fibre and energy were 12.160±0.142gkg-1, 2.578±0.007gkg-1 and 562.82±0.132gkg-1 correspondingly. Ash content was 3.324±0.010gkg-1 which was further analysed into various major minerals giving analysed means as Na (67.956±0.037gkg-1), Zn (1.244±0.010gkg-1), P (1040.8±0.663gkg-1), Fe (11.980±0.086gkg-1), Ca (141±0.316gkg-1) and Mg (344.6±0.245gkg-1). The findings indicated that C. pepo seeds are a good alternative source of highly nutritious food for instance proteins and lipids as well as minerals (Mg, Ca, Zn, P and Fe) that could greatly contribute to human nutritional requirements. However, it still remains important to further profile the quality of the lipids and proteins from C. pepo seed so as to verify their essentiality and availability to the human body as well as evaluating the presence of other bioactive and antinutritional factors that might be present in these seeds.},
     year = {2014}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Proximate Composition of Pumpkin Gourd (Cucurbita Pepo) Seeds from Zimbabwe
    AU  - Raphael Kwiri
    AU  - Clive Winini
    AU  - Amos Musengi
    AU  - Misheck Mudyiwa
    AU  - Clarice Nyambi
    AU  - Perkins Muredzi
    AU  - Abigail Malunga
    Y1  - 2014/06/30
    PY  - 2014
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnfs.20140304.17
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20140304.17
    T2  - International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences
    JF  - International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences
    JO  - International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences
    SP  - 279
    EP  - 283
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2327-2716
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnfs.20140304.17
    AB  - Curcubita pepo seeds have been widely consumed in Zimbabwe way back in the 1970s, but still locally, there is no data on the nutritional quality of Curcubita pepo seeds, hence the study attempted to avail this information. Curcubita pepo seeds from selected places in Zimbabwe were analysed. The proximate analysis including major nutrients and minerals were determined. The C. pepo seed had a moisture content of 5.662±0.016gkg-1. Significantly, Curcubita pepo had high amounts of crude oil and proteins as compared to other edible oil rich seeds. The crude oil content and protein were 43.460±0.098gkg-1 and 32.860±0.103gkg-1 respectively. Other components such as carbohydrates, crude fibre and energy were 12.160±0.142gkg-1, 2.578±0.007gkg-1 and 562.82±0.132gkg-1 correspondingly. Ash content was 3.324±0.010gkg-1 which was further analysed into various major minerals giving analysed means as Na (67.956±0.037gkg-1), Zn (1.244±0.010gkg-1), P (1040.8±0.663gkg-1), Fe (11.980±0.086gkg-1), Ca (141±0.316gkg-1) and Mg (344.6±0.245gkg-1). The findings indicated that C. pepo seeds are a good alternative source of highly nutritious food for instance proteins and lipids as well as minerals (Mg, Ca, Zn, P and Fe) that could greatly contribute to human nutritional requirements. However, it still remains important to further profile the quality of the lipids and proteins from C. pepo seed so as to verify their essentiality and availability to the human body as well as evaluating the presence of other bioactive and antinutritional factors that might be present in these seeds.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Food Processing Technology, School of Industrial Science & Technology, Harare Institute of Technology, Ganges Rd, Box BE 277, Belvedere, Harare, Zimbabwe

  • Department of Food Processing Technology, School of Industrial Science & Technology, Harare Institute of Technology, Ganges Rd, Box BE 277, Belvedere, Harare, Zimbabwe

  • Department of Food Processing Technology, School of Industrial Science & Technology, Harare Institute of Technology, Ganges Rd, Box BE 277, Belvedere, Harare, Zimbabwe

  • Department of Food Processing Technology, School of Industrial Science & Technology, Harare Institute of Technology, Ganges Rd, Box BE 277, Belvedere, Harare, Zimbabwe

  • Department of Food Processing Technology, School of Industrial Science & Technology, Harare Institute of Technology, Ganges Rd, Box BE 277, Belvedere, Harare, Zimbabwe

  • Department of Food Processing Technology, School of Industrial Science & Technology, Harare Institute of Technology, Ganges Rd, Box BE 277, Belvedere, Harare, Zimbabwe

  • Department of Food Processing Technology, School of Industrial Science & Technology, Harare Institute of Technology, Ganges Rd, Box BE 277, Belvedere, Harare, Zimbabwe

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