The contents of some antinutrients of raw, boiled and toasted seeds of three pumpkin species, Cucurbita maxima (CMA), C. moschata (CMO) and the F1 hybrid (CMA x CMO), were investigated in order to assure the use in dietary preparations industrialized products and formulations of new products. Levels of oxalic acid and nitrate were not detected in any of the species studied. CMA presented the lowest levels of cyanide, polyphenols and highest in vitro protein digestibility. Cooking brought about reduction in the levels of cyanide, trypsin inhibitor, hemaglutinin activity and polyphenols and increased of in vitro protein digestibility. Of the thermal processing employed, cooking was the most efficient in reducing of that constituints.
Pumpkin seeds; thermal processing; antinutrients; protein digestibility
