The Use of Cabotiá Pumpkin Seed in the Preparation of Salted Snacks

Abstract

The destination of waste resulting from the food industries raises concern. The cabotiá pumpkin seeds discarded in the minimally processed process by the industries are by-products of high nutritional value, rich in fiber, in addition to having bioactive compounds that provide the proper functioning of the organism. The objective of this study was to seek an alternative application of cabotiá pumpkin seed generated in the minimally processed process. The application of the seed resulted in a salty snack, obtained by the dredging process. Physicochemical (lipids, moisture, protein, sodium, ash, carbohydrate, fiber, vitamins, aw), microbiological (Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and Molds and yeast) and sensory (hedonic scale acceptance) analyzes of the product were performed. The results were satisfactory for the microbiological analyses, meeting the standards established by IN No. 60, of December 23, 2019. The physical-chemical evaluation showed that the product developed has low moisture, in addition to being considered low in sodium and added fiber, positive characteristics for consumers. The sensory analysis obtained good acceptance and the acceptability index (AI) was 82.35%, thus indicating that the salty snack has potential for production and commercialization on an industrial scale.