CALIDAD FÍSICO-QUÍMICA DE LA HARINA DERIVADA DE TRES VARIEDADES DE ZAPALLO PRODUCIDAS EN EL CANTÓN ROCAFUERTE, PROVINCIA DE MANABÍ

Abstract

This research consisted of obtaining flour from the three varieties of pumpkin that are most produced in the Rocafuerte canton (common pumpkin, pepo and macre), to which the yield of the flours, the physical-chemical composition, antioxidant capacity and total carotenoids, instrumental sensory evaluation (colorimetry and hardness by methods), in addition, the different food uses that can be given to pumpkin flour are considered. For the development of the research, the pumpkin samples were subjected to a process of selection, classification, sectioning, dehydration at 60°C for 12 hours), and grinding at 210mm. The results showed that the flour extracted from the macre squash reached better averages in terms of fat 8.35%; ash 13.45%; moisture 24.39% and protein 17.70%; the common pumpkin flour reached better results in terms of NDF 19.76% and FDA 8.16%, the best carbohydrate content was for the flour obtained from the pepo pumpkin with a value of 33.85%. The three varieties of flour presented antioxidant capacity, reaching a higher average for common pumpkin flour with a value of 8327 mg/L with an inhibition of 58.90%; the highest content of carotenoids was obtained by the flour extracted from the macre squash with a value of 3387.68 g/100g of sample.