Pumpkin and Pumpkin By-Products: A Comprehensive Overview of Phytochemicals, Extraction, Health Benefits, and Food Applications
Roxana Nicoleta Gavril (Rațu),
Florina Stoica,
Florin Daniel Lipșa,
Oana Emilia Constantin,
Nicoleta Stănciuc,
Iuliana Aprodu,
Gabriela Râpeanu
Affiliations
Roxana Nicoleta Gavril (Rațu)
Department of Food Technologies, Faculty of Agriculture, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” Iasi University of Life Sciences, 3 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700489 Iasi, Romania
Florina Stoica
Department of Pedotechnics, Faculty of Agriculture, Iasi University of Life Sciences, 3 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700489 Iasi, Romania
Florin Daniel Lipșa
Department of Food Technologies, Faculty of Agriculture, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” Iasi University of Life Sciences, 3 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700489 Iasi, Romania
Oana Emilia Constantin
Department of Food Science, Food Engineering, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, Dunărea de Jos University of Galati, 800201 Galați, Romania
Nicoleta Stănciuc
Department of Food Science, Food Engineering, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, Dunărea de Jos University of Galati, 800201 Galați, Romania
Iuliana Aprodu
Department of Food Science, Food Engineering, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, Dunărea de Jos University of Galati, 800201 Galați, Romania
Gabriela Râpeanu
Department of Food Science, Food Engineering, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, Dunărea de Jos University of Galati, 800201 Galați, Romania
A versatile and popular Cucurbitaceous vegetable, pumpkin has recently gained much attention because of its variety of phytochemicals and health advantages. Pumpkins are a type of winter squash, traditionally with large, spherical, orange fruits and a highly nutrient food. Pumpkin by-products comprise various parts, such as seeds, peels, and pulp residues, with their bioactive composition and many potential benefits poorly explored by the food industry. Pumpkin and their by-products contain a wide range of phytochemicals, including carotenoids, polyphenols, tocopherols, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers. These compounds in pumpkin by-products exhibit antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and antimicrobial properties and could reduce the risk of chronic diseases. This comprehensive review aims to provide a detailed overview of the phytochemicals found in pumpkin and its by-products, along with their extraction methods, health benefits, and diverse food and industrial applications. This information can offer valuable insights for food scientists seeking to reevaluate pumpkin’s potential as a functional ingredient. Reusing these by-products would support integrating a circular economy approach by boosting the market presence of valuable and sustainable products that improve health while lowering food waste.
