Abstract:To explore the effect of different baking pretreatment methods on the roasting process of naked pumpkin seeds, the basic components; color; texture; sensory evaluation by electronic nose; fatty acid, mineral, total phenol, and tocopherol contents; and antioxidant activity of roasted pumpkin seeds were assessed after four different types of roasting pretreatments: sun dried unroasted, wet salted roasted, dry salted-roasted, and unsalted-roasted. The results showed that wet salted roasting pretreatment retained the highest levels of basic nutrients in pumpkin seeds, with a total fatty acid content of 99.46 mg/100 g. Unsaturated fatty acid content accounted for 79.50%. The total contents of five minerals reached 203.96 mg/100 g, and the total phenol and tocopherol contents were 2.65 and 11.65 mg/g, respectively; OH, DPPH, and ABTS+ clearance rates were 55.36%, 69.25%, and 85.12%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the other treatment groups (p<0.05). Thus, wet salt soaking is an important step and most suitable pretreatment method for roasting pumpkin seeds. Therefore, the naked pumpkin seeds roasted with wet salt can be incorporated into vegetable protein food with good sensory qualities, good flavor, and a strong antioxidant capacity.
