Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Pierottiejva 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Molecules. 2023 Jan 15;28(2):858. doi: 10.3390/molecules28020858.
The goal of this review is to provide an overview of the current findings on the major carotenoids and their content in pumpkin products and by-products. The content of total carotenoids and the composition of carotenoids in pumpkins depend mainly on the species and cultivar, pedoclimatic conditions, the part of the plant (pulp, peel or seed), extraction procedures and the type of solvent used for extraction. The major carotenoids identified in pumpkins were β-carotene, α-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. β-Carotene is the major carotenoid in most pumpkin species. The number and content of total carotenoids are higher when minor carotenoids and ester forms are considered. The use of carotenoids in the development of functional foods has been the topic of many versatile studies in recent years, as they add significant value to foods associated with numerous health benefits. In view of this, pumpkin and pumpkin by-products can serve as a valuable source of carotenoids.
本次综述的目的在于概述南瓜产品及其副产物中主要类胡萝卜素及其含量的现有研究结果。南瓜中总类胡萝卜素的含量和类胡萝卜素的组成主要取决于品种和栽培品种、土壤气候条件、植物部位（果肉、果皮或种子）、提取程序以及用于提取的溶剂类型。在南瓜中鉴定出的主要类胡萝卜素为β-胡萝卜素、α-胡萝卜素、叶黄素和玉米黄质。β-胡萝卜素是大多数南瓜品种中的主要类胡萝卜素。当考虑到次要类胡萝卜素和酯类形式时，总类胡萝卜素的数量和含量更高。近年来，由于类胡萝卜素可使与许多健康益处相关的食品增值，因此它们在功能性食品开发中的应用一直是许多多用途研究的主题。鉴于此，南瓜及其副产物可以作为类胡萝卜素的有价值来源。
