Utilization of pumpkin, pumpkin powders, extracts, isolates, purified bioactives and pumpkin based functional food products: A key strategy to improve health in current post COVID 19 period: An updated review

Effects of Ginger and Garlic Powders on the Physicochemical and Microbiological Characteristics of Fruit Juices during Storage

“…Pumpkin ( Cucurbita spp.) is available in different shapes, sizes, and colors [ 8 ] and approximately 23 million tons were produced worldwide in 2019, with China, the United States, India, and Russia as the main producers [ 8 , 9 ]. In the European Union, 760,000 tons were harvested in 2020, and 85% of this amount was produced by Poland, Spain, France, Portugal, and Germany.…”

Evaluation of Total Antioxidant and Oxidant Status, Oxidative Stress Index and DPPH Free Radical Scavenging Activities of Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) Seeds Ethanolic Extracts

“…Fruits and vegetables parts (peels, flesh, seeds) have been found involved in reducing the risks of many diseases due to presence of phytochemicals, responsible for different health promoting activities in humans. Pumpkin seeds due to presence of phenolic compounds, minerals, vitamins, carotenoids and essential oils, possess strong antioxidant potential and reduce oxidative stress in human body (Hussain et al, 2022). Extracts of different herbs, fruits and vegetables have been found loaded with biologically active components and are a well alternative source of drugs.…”

“…Due to insufficient health services in many developing and under develop countries the need of complimentary medicines has been increased (Mohammed et al, 2020). Expectations of public are very high from food producers in terms of healthy and nutritious food products, which can play both functional and medicinal role in the body and most economic and extraordinary sources of functional ingredients are waste by products of fruits and vegetables (Hussain et al, 2022). Plants are natural sources of antioxidant compounds and extracts of these plants and their parts have been traditionally used in curing different ailments due to their antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antihypertensive and anticarcinogenic properties .…”

“…The excellent pharmacological properties of pumpkins are due to their phytochemical composition, which includes phenols, flavonoids, carotenoids and tocopherols. Among pumpkin parts, seeds are the most suitable component with respect to their chemical composition and their usage in different food products in different forms has gained very importance in recent times (Hussain et al, 2022). Production of pumpkins, squashes and gourds in 2019 was estimated above 23 million tons cultivated all over the world comprising an area of 1.54 million hectare and in Pakistan 2.7 lac tons on 26515-hectare area (FAO, 2019).…”

“…Pumpkin seeds have no side effects on human health so these can be consumed on regular basis to promote human health with minimum use of supplements (Maheshwari et al, 2015). A recent study by Hussain et al (2022), provided different utilization patterns of nutritious pumpkin, which included fresh, boiled, cooked, powders, extracts, isolates, purified bioactives and pumpkin based functional food products. Healthy eating, comprised of balanced diet equipped with pumpkin components could protect the body cells and systems from the attack of novel, viral and deadly diseases.…”