Oil Characterization and Seeds Composition of Sicana odorifera, an Ancestral Cucurbita from Paraguay

Abstract

Sicana odorifera seeds, from an ancestral Cucurbita growing in Paraguay, possess important biowaste after fruit pulp use. However, there are reports that its infusions can reduce and cure the symptoms of viral diseases such as hepatitis, denoting its medicinal properties. The recovery of nutrients and bioactive molecules from its bio-residues has potential uses in the industrial sector with high added value as functional food ingredients. In S. odorifera species, although it is not a fruit for mass consumption, it is precisely the lack of a market for its biowaste that has limited its integral use. Based on this, the centesimal composition, oil characterization, and fatty acids profile of the kurugua seeds from two accessions (atropurpurea (black) and reddish) were studied. Kurugua seeds have been subjected to a cold extraction with a hydraulic press from dried whole seeds, and ISO and AOCS standard methods were used for analytical determinations. The major components in the centesimal composition of kurugua seeds were lipids, dietary fiber, and proteins. The oils presented iodine, saponification, and refractive indices characteristic of preferentially polyunsaturated oils. The major component in the fatty acid profile was linolenic acid, an important essential fatty acid in the diet. Although the characteristics of kurugua oil, demonstrate its potential application in the food industry as a polyunsaturated oil, source of essential fatty acids, future studies on stability and sensory analysis for food applications are suggested, with great possibilities for the food safety framework.