Chemical composition and physicochemical properties of pumpkin seeds and fatty acids of their oil were determined. It was found that the seeds contained 41.59% oil and 25.4% protein. Moisture, crude fiber, total ash, and carbohydrate contents were 5.2%, 5.34%, 2.49%, and 25.19%, respectively. The specific gravity, dynamic viscosity, and refractive index of the extracted pumpkin seed oil were 0.915, 93.659 cP, and 1.4662, respectively. Acid value (mg KOH/g oil), peroxide value (meq O2/kg oil), iodine value (g I2/100 g oil), saponification number (mg KOH/ g oil), and unsaponifiable matter content (%) of the extracted oil from pumpkin seeds were 0.78, 0.39, 10.85, 104.36, 190.69, and 5.73, respectively. Total phenolics compounds (mg gallic acid/kg oil), total tocopherols (mg α-tocopherol/kg oil), total sterols (%), and waxes (%) were 66.27, 882.65, 1.86, and 1.58, respectively. Specific extinctions at two wavelengths of 232 nm (K232) and 270 nm (K270) and R-value (K232/K270) were 3.80, 3.52 and 0.74, respectively. Gas chromatographic analysis of the pumpkin seed oil showed that the linoleic (39.84%), oleic (38.42%), palmitic (10.68%) and stearic (8.67%) acids were the major fatty acids. Compared with other vegetable oils, the present study revealed that pumpkin seed oil can be a valuable source of edible oil.

Keywords: Physicochemical properties, Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo var. Styriaca, Fatty acid composition, Pumpkin seed oil

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