CHARACTERIZATION AND EVALUATION OF THE ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF PUMPKIN SEED FLOUR (CUCURBITA MOSCHATA)

The food industry is looking for more efficient alternatives to avoid lipid oxidation, changes in color and flavor, due to losses in the quality of food products, especially meat derivatives. The use of antioxidants is the most used way to prevent lipid oxidation in foods. Pumpkin seed flour (Cucurbita moschata) has antioxidant properties due to the presence of tocopherols (vitamin E), mainly in the form of tocopherol and alpha-tocopherol isomers, and is rich in fiber, proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids and mineral salts. Aiming to study sources of natural antioxidants as an alternative to replace the synthetic antioxidants commonly used by the industry, this study aimed to characterize, evaluate the compounds present by the FTIR method and evaluate the storage time on the antioxidant potential of pumpkin seed flour (Cucurbita moschata) using the ABTS method. The seeds were stored at -18°C for 4 and 24 days before processing, subjected to the cleaning process, drying in a pardal dehydrator, and crushed to obtain flour. The values ​​for antioxidant potential by the ABTS method showed average values ​​of 475 µmol eq. trolox/g. Storage time did not influence the antioxidant potential of the flour and the results demonstrate that pumpkin seed flour has the potential to be used and contribute to the use of waste by the industry, reducing pollution caused by this waste.