The objective of this study was to investigate the physical characteristics and mineral profile of seeds of three Cucurbita varieties, one of the species Cucurbita maxima (variety Crown, one Cucurbita moschata (var. Jacarezinho) and one Cucurbita pepo (var. Italian), in natura and germinated forms. Additionally, perform the drying of the germinated samples at temperatures of 50, 60, and 70°C, evaluating the adjustment by different mathematical models to predict the process, calculate the effective diffusivities, and determine the activation energy and the thermodynamic properties of the samples. The seeds were germinated until 96 hr. Then, the unit mass, apparent specific mass, real specific mass, porosity and unit volume, and the mineral profile were determined. The germinated seeds were crushed and placed to dry with a thickness of 0.5 cm until reaching the equilibrium water content. Germination resulted in an increase in unit mass, unit volume, real density, and porosity; reducing the apparent density. The minerals were presented in different proportions, with emphasis on the calcium content in the Crown variety, potassium and phosphorus in Italian variety, and magnesium in Jacarezinho variety. The Henderson and Pabis modified model was the one that best fitted the experimental data of the three varieties. The effective diffusivities of the germinated seeds increased with increasing drying temperatures. The activation‐energy value was higher in the Crown variety, followed by Jacarezinho and Italian. The greatest enthalpies and entropies were determined in the Crown variety and the highest Gibbs free energies in the Italian variety. Practical Applications The knowledge of the physical aspects, the minerals concentration, and the use of drying germinated pumpkin seeds results in products with good palatability, expanding the possibilities for industrial and commercial use. The drying of agricultural products in a convective dryer makes it possible to reduce the water content to a certain value, minimizing microbiological activity and reducing chemical deterioration reactions, essential to increase shelf life, control waste, and allow the use and consumption of a product with high quality on a large scale. The contribution to the area consists of determining important values for seed processing industries interested in greater energy efficiency and in the precise adaptation of processes and equipment, with a view to reducing costs and maximizing the quality of the final product.

This study developed and evaluated the efficiency of methods to produce hydroalcoholic extract of Bishop’s Crown pepper. Analyses were conducted to investigate the effects of independent variables (ethanol concentration of the extracting solution and resting time) over the dependent variables (percent yield, acidity, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, anthocyanin content and vitamin C). The interactions between the variables were studied through seven factorial experiments. Percent yield (Y%), carotenoids, phenolic compounds and vitamin C were the most satisfactory responses found in this research. The ethanol concentration of the extracting solution (ES) presented significant effect in the Y%, showing better results for extracts produced with a 55%-ethanol ES, while carotenoids, phenolic compounds and vitamin C displayed significant differences according to the ethanol concentration, being these substances found in higher concentrations in extracts produced with the use of an 85%-ethanol ES. Therefore, the higher the ES ethanol concentration, higher is the retention of the bioactive compounds.

While acerola is a source of minerals and vitamins, jambolan has a high content of phenolic compounds. The objective of this work was to evaluate the quality of the mixed jambolan, and acerola pulp obtained by drying them in a foam mat. Three foams were produced, composed of mixed pulp + 1% albumin and 0.5% additives (F1: xanthan gum; F2: carboxymethylcellulose; and F3: guar gum), subjected to agitation to form the foam and distributed in trays with 0.5 cm thick and dehydrated at 50, 60, 70 and 80 °C. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 3 x 4 factorial scheme (3 formulations and 4 drying temperatures) with three replications for the analyses. All powders showed low water content and water activity. All dry samples showed high levels of ascorbic acid and bioactive compounds. However, the increase in drying temperatures resulted in a reduction in acidity. The powders with xanthan gum (F1) generated higher levels of proteins and flavonoids, while the samples with guar gum (F3) had higher levels of solubility and; powders with carboxymethylcellulose (F2) had higher contents of anthocyanins and phenolic compounds, standing in nutritional and functional components among the formulations for drying in a foam mat

O desenvolvimento de bancos de sementes locais e regionais como também a posterior avaliação da qualidade delas configuram-se uma das alternativas que pode impedir ou minimizar a perda da biodiversidade de sementes crioulas. Assim, objetivou-se avaliar as características físicas de sementes de milho crioulo armazenadas no Banco de Sementes Regional da Comunidade Caiana em Soledade, Paraíba. No Laboratório de Armazenamento e Processamento de Produtos Agrícolas da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, as sementes foram submetidas às análises físicas: teor de água, peso de mil sementes, massa das sementes, densidade aparente, densidade real, porosidade, volume das sementes, cor L*, a*, b*, Chroma C* e índice de escurecimento. A variedade de milho Jaboatão apresentou maior teor de água, peso de mil sementes, massa do grão, densidade aparente e volume do grão e a variedade Adelaide maior porosidade e luminosidade.

The flours of germinated pumpkin seeds of Crown, Jacarezinho, and Italian varieties were evaluated. The flours showed a predominance of yellow intensity, high content of minerals, and total phenolic compounds with important in vitro antioxidant potential. There was a predominance of flavonoids (myricetin, procyanidin B2, and procyanidin B1). The degradation of phenolic compounds was satisfactorily predicted by zero‐order (Crown and Italian) and first‐order (Jacarezinho) equations. The flours were considered non‐toxic, with morphologically irregular particles and predominance of amorphous characteristics. The FTIR spectra showed the bands of the main components, indicating the presence of starch, lipids, and proteins. The thermal properties showed distinct gelatinization peaks between the flours, while the TGA and DTG curves showed greater mass loss during the carbonization of the material in the three flours. The flours studied have some distinct characteristics, with great potential for use in various formulations and preparations of functional foods. Novelty impact statement Germinated pumpkin seed flours have high content of minerals, total phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, concentration of crude fiber, and flavanoids. As for morphology, they showed a predominance of amorphous characteristics. The FTIR spectra showed the presence of starch, lipids, and proteins in the flours. Thus, germination followed by convective drying for the production of pumpkin seed flours proved to be effective and sustainable to make new flour options available on the market that can contribute to improving the nutritional and functional profile of foods.