Food preservative extracts from pumpkin by-products
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Pumpkin is a vegetable widely consumed around the world, popularly known for its nutritional
and pharmacological properties. Some reports in the literature reveal the rich profile of nutrients
and bioactive compounds of pumpkin varieties [1,2]. However, the seeds, peels, and fibers
resulting from pumpkin processing are still poorly explored by food industry. Considering the
alarming scenario of losses and waste during all the food supply chain worldwide [3] and
seeking to promote a more sustainable food system, the present study purposed to investigate
the by-products of different varieties of pumpkin as a source of extracts with preservative
capacity for food application. For that purpose, hydroethanolic extracts from the varieties
“Butternut squash”, “Common pumpkin”, and “Kabocha squash” from Portugal, and “Butternut
squash”, “Common pumpkin”, and “Musquée de provence” from Algeria, were evaluated in
terms of their bioactivities, more specifically the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic
capacities. All the samples presented great antioxidant capacity through two based-cell assays,
namely the lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity (TBARS) and the anti-hemolytic activity
(OxHLIA). Interestingly, the seeds of the common pumpkin from Algeria did not present antihemolytic
properties, despite showing the strongest lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity. In
fact, the seeds stood out for all the pumpkin varieties in the TBARS assay, while in the OxHLIA
assay, the results were quite similar between the type of bioresidues and between the varieties.
Moreover, the samples from Portugal showed greater antioxidant capacity than the Algerian
ones. Regarding cytotoxicity, the effect of inhibiting non-tumor cell growth was not observed,
even at the highest tested concentration of 400 μg/mL. This first validation is of great
importance to prevent food safety issues. These preliminary results are the basis for future
studies aiming at the valorization of these bioresidues from food industry as a great source of
preservative compounds toward the replacement of synthetic additives with natural alternatives
allied to health benefits, as also the promotion of a circular economy
