Evaluation of biochemical characteristics of pumpkin in production of functional food products in the far-eastern region
The production of functional food products is one of the most important directions of development of the food industry. Particular attention is paid to the creation of new balanced in composition of products enriched with functional components, allowing them to increase their nutritional and biological value. Among vegetable crops, pumpkin is a highly valuable raw material in the food industry, which has equally both nutritional and biological value, and allowing for the correction of the human nutritional status. Based on this, we has been assessed the biochemical indicators of the varieties and hybrids of table pumpkin during to keeping as a perspectives raw material for the products of functional allocation in the Far East region. The research was carried out by the department of vegetable crops and potatoes of the Far Eastern Research Institute of Agriculture in the framework of the Far East program. Biochemical studies on pumpkin were carried out in the laboratory of agriculture of the Far Eastern Research Institute of Agriculture and in the laboratory of testing of the Center for Agrochemical Service “Khabarovsk" three times: 1 - before laying on to keeping; 2 - after 1.5 months of keeping; 3 -1 month after the previous study. The results of studies showed that the varieties Nadezhda, Zimnyaya slad-kay and Japanese hybrid Orange colon after 2.5 months of keeping, there was a decrease in some biochemical parameters. The varieties Vnuchka, Zhemchuzhina and a Japanese hybrid Sweet kob there is a tendency to increase almost all the quality indicators during the whole period of keeping. The content of dry matter, Vitamin C and potassium increases significantly. A favorable period for the processing of raw materials in the manufacture of the products of functional allocation is 1-2 months after harvesting for the Nadezhda variety and 1-4 months for the Vnuchka variety. Perspectives for the Far Eastern region in the manufacture of the products of functional allocation from foreign varieties are the Zimnyaya sladkay variety and the Japanese hybrid Orange colon.