Styrian oil pumpkin

Last updated
Cucurbita pepo var styriaca
'Styrian oil pumpkin'
Steirischer Olkurbis Feld Allhaming 20200911b.jpg
Field with Styrian oil pumpkin
Genus Cucurbita
Species Cucurbita pepo
Cultivar Styrian oil

The Styrian oil pumpkin ( Cucurbita pepo var. styriaca), also known as the Styrian pumpkin, is a variety of the common pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo pepo) which is cultivated to produce pumpkin seed oil.

Contents

The young fruits are dark green, turning yellow-orange upon ripening. They have a mutation resulting in the loss of the lignified seed shell. Approximately 2.5 kg of seed, the equivalent or 30–40 pumpkins, produce 1 liter of pumpkin seed oil. On average, a ripe oil pumpkin weighs between 8 and 10 kilograms. [1]

History

The Styrian oil pumpkin is of relatively recent origin. Its crucial mutation, resulting in distinctive dark green seeds, was first recorded between 1870 and 1880. This accidental natural mutation is the result of an alteration in a single recessive gene. [2] The soft seed coat made efficient oil extraction possible and enabled the production of the renowned Styrian pumpkin seed oil, a regional specialty in southeastern Europe. The oil's history is closely tied to the economic and cultural dynamics of the area. [1] Today, adulteration of Styrian pumpkin seed oil is considered professional fraud. Cheaper edible oils such as sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, or soybean oil are common adulterants. [3]

Distribution

It is traditionally cultivated industrially in parts of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, in present-day south-eastern Austria (Styria), north-eastern Slovenia (Styria, Prekmurje), central Transylvania and the Orăștie-Cugir region of Romania, north-eastern Croatia (Međimurje), Vojvodina and neighbouring parts of Hungary. In these countries, the use of pumpkin seed oil in the diet is traditional. The Styrian oil pumpkin is also widespread in the far eastern part of Europe (Ukraine) and in Russia, North America, Mexico, India and China.

Nutritional value

The oil's fatty acid profile, with polyunsaturated fatty acids constituting approximately 45.6 ± 5%rel, surpasses monounsaturated (35.9 ± 10%rel) and saturated fatty acids (18.5 ± 20%rel). [4] Linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid dominate, collectively accounting for nearly 98% of the fatty acids present. [5] Minimal traces of other fatty acids are also present. [5]

High-quality pumpkin seed oil has γ-tocopherol with concentrations reaching 800 mg/kg. This oil's γ-tocopherol levels are higher than its α-tocopherol levels. [4] The oil also contains vitamin A, carotenoids such as lutein and β-carotene, and several vitamin B compounds. Styrian pumpkin seed oil exhibits elevated levels of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus, with selenium being detected. [6]

The oil contains phytosterols, approximately 2–2.5 times more concentrated than in the seeds, with D7-sterols being predominant. Styrian pumpkin seed oil owes its dark green color and distinct aroma to compounds like protochlorophyll, protopheophytin, and carotenoids. [7] The aroma, characterized by a nutty roast, results from a roasting process involving high temperatures of extended duration. [8] The oil also exhibits antioxidant properties attributed to its phenolic compounds, which constitute up to 40% of the total antioxidant capacity. [4]

Although Styrian pumpkin seed oil contains significant amounts of antioxidants, the green pigments in the oil act make it light sensitive and shorten its shelf life. They are efficient sensitizers for light-induced fatty acid oxidation and, along with a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, make it susceptible to rancidity. [9] [10]

Cultivation, production and storage

Sowing

Styrian oil pumpkins are sown at appropriate soil temperature between mid to late April. It is sown into a seedbed of sandy, well-trained soil at a depth of 3–4 cm with a row distance of 80 cm. Heavy wet clay soils are not appropriate. [11] A planting density of 17,000 seeds per hectare is appropriate. For organic farming 20,000 seeds per hectare should be sown for better competition against weeds. [12]

Fertilisation

The styrian oil pumpkin requires 150 kg/ha of Nitrogen, 13.1 kg/ha of Phosphorus, 124.5 kg/ha of Potassium and 10 kg/ha of Magnesium. [13]

Crop protection

A cultivator or appropriate chemicals can be used to combat weeds. There are no known fungicides with a significant effect in this culture. Insecticides can have be significantly effective against aphids. [12] The lack of a lignified seed shell makes it susceptible to soil-borne fungal diseases, increasing the risk of poor seed germination, especially in wet years. The pumpkin is also susceptible to fruit rot.

Harvest

The crop is harvested around September and October. It is ready when plant material is dead and the kernels are easily torn out of the fruit flesh. [12] The pumpkins are harvested by first placing the plants into a swath. Then the pumpkins are picked and broken up. When opened, a harvester in the field removes the seeds using centrifugal force. The fruit flesh is discharged on the spot. Then the kernels can be transferred from the field. [14]

Areas of cultivation and production

The climatic conditions in the areas of mid-Eastern Europe are suitable and, in particular, the average annual rainfall is often less than 800mm. World production of oil pumpkins is estimated at a total area of 600,000 hectares and a total yield of 200,000 tonnes of pumpkin seeds. Of this, approximately 120,000 tonnes of pumpkin seeds are produced in China. Huge quantities of these seeds also end up on the European market. [15] World consumption of pumpkin seeds is as follows:

Related Research Articles

<i>Cucurbita</i> Genus of herbaceous vines in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae

Cucurbita is a genus of herbaceous fruits in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae, native to the Andes and Mesoamerica. Five edible species are grown and consumed for their flesh and seeds. They are variously known as squash, pumpkin, or gourd, depending on species, variety, and local parlance. Other kinds of gourd, also called bottle-gourds, are native to Africa and belong to the genus Lagenaria, which is in the same family and subfamily as Cucurbita, but in a different tribe. These other gourds are used as utensils or vessels, and their young fruits are eaten much like those of the Cucurbita species.

Rancidification is the process of complete or incomplete autoxidation or hydrolysis of fats and oils when exposed to air, light, moisture, or bacterial action, producing short-chain aldehydes, ketones and free fatty acids.

An unsaturated fat is a fat or fatty acid in which there is at least one double bond within the fatty acid chain. A fatty acid chain is monounsaturated if it contains one double bond, and polyunsaturated if it contains more than one double bond.

Linoleic acid (LA) is an organic compound with the formula HOOC(CH2)7CH=CHCH2CH=CH(CH2)4CH3. Both alkene groups are cis. It is a fatty acid sometimes denoted 18:2 (n-6) or 18:2 cis-9,12. A linoleate is a salt or ester of this acid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanol ester</span> Class of chemical compounds

Stanol esters is a heterogeneous group of chemical compounds known to reduce the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in blood when ingested, though to a much lesser degree than prescription drugs such as statins. The starting material is phytosterols from plants. These are first hydrogenated to give a plant stanol which is then esterified with a mixture of fatty acids also derived from plants. Plant stanol esters are found naturally occurring in small quantities in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals, legumes, and vegetable oils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saponification value</span> Milligrams of a base required to saponify 1g of fat

Saponification value or saponification number represents the number of milligrams of potassium hydroxide (KOH) or sodium hydroxide (NaOH) required to saponify one gram of fat under the conditions specified. It is a measure of the average molecular weight of all the fatty acids present in the sample in form of triglycerides. The higher the saponification value, the lower the fatty acids average length, the lighter the mean molecular weight of triglycerides and vice versa. Practically, fats or oils with high saponification value are more suitable for soap making.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pumpkin seed oil</span> Oil from the seeds of pumpkins

Pumpkin seed oil is a culinary oil, used especially in eastern Europe.

Lauric acid, systematically dodecanoic acid, is a saturated fatty acid with a 12-carbon atom chain, thus having many properties of medium-chain fatty acids. It is a bright white, powdery solid with a faint odor of bay oil or soap. The salts and esters of lauric acid are known as laurates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pumpkin seed</span> Seeds of pumpkin and similar squashes

A pumpkin seed, also known in North America as a pepita, is the edible seed of a pumpkin or certain other cultivars of squash. The seeds are typically flat and oval with one axis of symmetry, have a white outer husk, and are light green in color after the husk is removed. Some pumpkin cultivars are huskless, and are grown only for their edible seed. The seeds are nutrient- and calorie-rich, with an especially high content of fat, protein, dietary fiber, and numerous micronutrients. Pumpkin seed can refer either to the hulled kernel or unhulled whole seed, and most commonly refers to the roasted end product used as a snack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pistachio oil</span> Oil pressed from pistachio nuts

Pistachio oil is a pressed oil, extracted from the fruit of Pistacia vera, the pistachio nut.

Rose hip seed oil is a pressed seed oil, extracted from the seeds of the wild rose bush Rosa rubiginosa in the southern Andes. Rosehip seed oil can also be extracted from Rosa canina, a wild rose species native to Europe, northwest Africa, and western Asia. The fruits of the rosehip have been used in folk medicine for a long time. Rosehips have prophylactic and therapeutic actions against the common cold, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, urinary tract diseases, and inflammatory diseases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sea buckthorn oil</span> Vegetable oil

Sea buckthorn oil is a red-orange oil derived from sea buckthorn plants. The most commonly used species for this purpose is Hippophae rhamnoides. Species belonging to this genus accumulate lipids in the mesocarp, so the oil can be extracted from either the seeds or the pulp.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marula oil</span>

Marula oil is extracted from the kernels (nuts) of the fruits of the Marula tree, from the family Anacardiaceae. There are two types of marula oil, the oil extracted from the seeds and the oil extracted from the nut's hard shell. Marula oil is traditionally used in cosmetics, in food as a cooking oil and meat preservative and to treat leather. Marula oil can also be used as body lotion. In Namibia Marula fruit is processed into a range of juices, jellies and jams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pumpkin</span> Category of culinary winter Cucurbita squashes

A pumpkin, in English-language vernacular, is a cultivated winter squash in the genus Cucurbita. The term is most commonly applied to round, orange-colored squash varieties, though it does not possess a scientific definition and may be used in reference to many different squashes of varied appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamanu oil</span>

Tamanu oil is pressed from nuts of either Calophyllum inophyllum (usually) or Calophyllum tacamahaca (ati), tropical trees belonging to the Calophyllaceae family. The oil originates in Polynesia, where it continues to play an important cultural role.

Petroselinic acid is a fatty acid that occurs naturally in several animal and vegetable fats and oils. It is a white powder and is commercially available. In chemical terms, petroselinic acid is classified as a monounsaturated omega-12 fatty acid, abbreviated with a lipid number of 18:1 cis-6. It has the formula CH3(CH2)10CH=CH(CH2)4COOH. The term "petroselinic" means related to, or derived from, oil of Petroselinum, parsley. Despite its name, petroselinic acid does not contain any selenium. Petroselinic acid is a positional isomer of oleic acid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cooking oil</span> Oil consumed by humans, of vegetable or animal origin

Cooking oil is a plant or animal liquid fat used in frying, baking, and other types of cooking. Oil allows higher cooking temperatures than water, making cooking faster and more flavorful, while likewise distributing heat, reducing burning and uneven cooking. It sometimes imparts its own flavor. Cooking oil is also used in food preparation and flavoring not involving heat, such as salad dressings and bread dips.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Connecticut field pumpkin</span> Type of pumpkin

Connecticut field pumpkins are a type of pumpkin first attested in the 16th century. They are one of the oldest varieties of pumpkin in existence and are known as an heirloom plant. One of the most popular Halloween pumpkins, Connecticut field pumpkins are commonly used for autumn decorations and jack-o'-lanterns; a strain of Connecticut field pumpkins have been described as "the original commercial jack-o'-lantern pumpkin". Due to the variety's appearance and growth process, it is considered to be well-suited for ornamental use. It also has culinary uses, particularly in canning, and was used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans in the United States prior to European contact.

Kalahari melon oil also known as Tsamma (Damara/Nama), wild watermelon (English), bitterboela, karkoer (Afrikaans), wild watermelon, makatane (Setswana) or Mokaté oil, is a plant oil, extracted from the seeds of the Kalahari melon (Citrullus vulgaris), which is endemic to the Kalahari Desert, spanning Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. Being one of 1,200 varieties of melon, Kalahari melon oil is distinct from regular watermelon seed oil. The seed of the Kalahari melon consists of approximately 50% oil, 35% protein and 5% dietary fibre.

References

  1. 1 2 Fruhwirth, Gilbert O.; Hermetter, Albin (November 2007). "Seeds and oil of the Styrian oil pumpkin: Components and biological activities". European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology. 109 (11): 1128–1140. doi: 10.1002/ejlt.200700105 . ISSN   1438-7697.
  2. ↑ Stuart, Susan G.; Loy, J. Brent (December 1983). "Comparison of Testa Development in Normal and Hull-Less Seeded Strains of Cucurbita pepo L." Botanical Gazette. 144 (4): 491–500. doi:10.1086/337402. ISSN   0006-8071. S2CID   85263638.
  3. ↑ Wenzl, Thomas; Prettner, Elke; Schweiger, Klaus; Wagner, Franz S (October 2002). "An improved method to discover adulteration of Styrian pumpkin seed oil". Journal of Biochemical and Biophysical Methods. 53 (1–3): 193–202. doi:10.1016/s0165-022x(02)00108-2. ISSN   0165-022X. PMID   12406602.
  4. 1 2 3 Fruhwirth, Gilbert Otto; Wenzl, Thomas; El-Toukhy, Rosemarie; Wagner, Franz Siegfried; Hermetter, Albin (June 2003). "Fluorescence screening of antioxidant capacity in pumpkin seed oils and other natural oils". European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology. 105 (6): 266–274. doi:10.1002/ejlt.200390055. ISSN   1438-7697.
  5. 1 2 Murkovic, M.; Hillebrand, A.; Winkler, J.; Leitner, E.; Pfannhauser, W. (May 1996). "Variability of fatty acid content in pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo L.)". Zeitschrift für Lebensmittel-Untersuchung und -Forschung. 203 (3): 216–219. doi:10.1007/bf01192866. ISSN   1431-4630. PMID   8873459. S2CID   158751.
  6. ↑ Smrkolj, Polona; Stibilj, Vekoslava; Kreft, Ivan; Kapolna, Emese (December 2005). "Selenium Species Determination in Selenium-Enriched Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) Seeds by HPLC-UV-HG-AFS". Analytical Sciences. 21 (12): 1501–1504. doi:10.2116/analsci.21.1501. ISSN   0910-6340. PMID   16379394. S2CID   23974291.
  7. ↑ Ellsworth, R.K. (February 1971). "Simple method for separation of milligram quantities of protochlorophyll a from seed oils in extracts of whole pumpkin seeds". Analytical Biochemistry. 39 (2): 540–542. doi:10.1016/0003-2697(71)90448-9. ISSN   0003-2697. PMID   4324535.
  8. ↑ Matsui, Toshiro; Guth, Helmut; Grosch, Werner (February 1998). "A comparative study of potent odorants in peanut, hazelnut, and pumpkin seed oils on the basis of aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) and gas chromatography-olfactometry of headspace samples (GCOH)". Lipid - Fett. 100 (2): 51–56. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1521-4133(199802)100:2<51::aid-lipi51>3.0.co;2-w . ISSN   0931-5985.
  9. ↑ Li, Wei; Koike, Kazuo; Tatsuzaki, Masaru; Koide, Atsushi; Nikaido, Tamotsu (2005-12-01). "Cucurbitosides F−M, Acylated Phenolic Glycosides from the Seeds of Cucurbita pepo". Journal of Natural Products. 68 (12): 1754–1757. doi:10.1021/np050328b. ISSN   0163-3864. PMID   16378368.
  10. ↑ Lankmayr, Ernst; Mocak, Jan; Serdt, Katja; Balla, Branko; Wenzl, Thomas; Bandoniene, Donata; Gfrerer, Marion; Wagner, Siegfried (October 2004). "Chemometrical classification of pumpkin seed oils using UV–Vis, NIR and FTIR spectra". Journal of Biochemical and Biophysical Methods. 61 (1–2): 95–106. doi:10.1016/j.jbbm.2004.04.007. ISSN   0165-022X. PMID   15560925.
  11. ↑ "Praktiker-Tipps zu Mais, Hirse, Soja und Kürbis | Landwirtschaftskammer Steiermark". stmk.lko.at (in German). Retrieved 2023-12-01.
  12. 1 2 3 saatbau (2020-04-24). "Was bei der Produktion von Ölkürbis zu beachten ist". SAATBAU LINZ (in German). Retrieved 2023-12-01.
  13. ↑ Carlen, Christoph (2017). Grundlagen für die Düngung landwirtschaftlicher Kulturen in der Schweiz (in German). Bern: Agroscope. pp. 10/6.
  14. ↑ "Kürbiskernernte – Kirchwegergut" (in German). Retrieved 2023-12-01.
  15. ↑ "Oljne buče - od tradicionalne do profesionalne pridelave - Agrosaat" (in Slovenian). 2011-02-04. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.