Pumpkin seed oil: a comprehensive review of extraction methods, nutritional constituents, and health benefits.

Pumpkin seed oil (PSO), a rich source of nutrients, is extracted from the seeds of different pumpkin varieties for food and medicines. This article aims to provide an evidence-based review of the literature and to explore the extraction technologies, nutritional properties, and biological activity of PSO. From previous literature, PSO contains a large proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, with linoleic acid as the main component, and an amount of tocopherol, phytosterol, and phenolic acids. Some differences in the yield, composition, and physicochemical properties of PSO can be associated with the pumpkin's cultivars and the extraction methods. Some novel technologies involved in supercritical fluid extraction, enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction, and ultrasound-assisted extraction have been replacing the conventional technologies gradually as promising methods for the safe, non-polluting, and effective recovery of PSO. This healthy vegetable oil was reported by several in vitro and in vivo studies to have potential protective roles in oxidative stress, inflammation, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Integrated natural deep eutectic solvent and pulse-ultrasonication for efficient extraction of crocins from gardenia fruits (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis) and its bioactivities.

This study proposed natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) based pulse-ultrasonication-assisted extraction (P-UAE) for green recovery of crocins from gardenia fruits (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis). Choline chloride-1,2-propylene glycol (ChCl-PG, 1:2.5, mol/mol) with 35 % (v/v) water content was tailor-made to obtain the highest extraction efficiency with high surface tension, polarity, conductivity, pH, and low viscosity, density for affinity-based extraction of crocins. The optimized P-UAE conditions (extraction time 120 s, ultrasonic power 400 W, solvent-to-solid ratio 40 mL g-1, extraction temperature 35 ℃) led to the maximum yield of crocins (36.97 mg g-1 DW). The second-order kinetic model was fitted to the extraction process and the synergistic effect was verified by SEM and FTIR. The crocetin was identified as the main compound by UPLC-Triple-TOF/MS. The antiglycative effect and protective effect on DNA indicated the bioactive activities of crocins. Therefore, the ChCl-PG based P-UAE could serve as a green strategy to effectively extract crocins from gardenia fruits.

Protein-polysaccharide complex coated W/O/W emulsion as secondary microcapsule for hydrophilic arbutin and hydrophobic coumaric acid.

This study aimed to examine the modification effect of whey protein concentrate (WPC), WPC-gum arabic (WPC-GA) or WPC-high methoxyl pectin (WPC-PEC) complex to tailor-modify W/O/W emulsion for secondary microencapsulation of hydrophilic arbutin and hydrophobic coumaric acid. The stability and rheological properties of coated emulsions, encapsulation yield, release and degradation kinetics of arbutin and coumaric acid were investigated. Results revealed that WPC-PEC complex (at the ratio of 1:3) coating W/O/W emulsion exhibited the highest viscosity and stability, with the highest encapsulation yield of 91.08% for arbutin and 80.92% for coumaric acid, respectively. Tighter coating structure of the WPC-PEC complex (1:3) forming a stronger gel network structure was confirmed, accounting for the larger mean particle size of 569.67 nm. Moreover, the WPC-PEC (1:3) coating W/O/W emulsion also showed controlled release of arbutin and coumaric acid in simulated conditions. The k value of degradation kinetics for arbutin (7.99 × 10-4 at pH = 1.2, 4.19 × 10-4 at 90 °C and 7.52 × 10-4 at UV-C treatment) and coumaric acid (5.18 × 10-4 at pH = 1.2, 3.24 × 10-4 at 90 °C and 6.90 × 10-4 at UV-C treatment) indicated low degradation rate. The present study revealed that the WPC-PEC (1:3) coating W/O/W emulsion could provide a better synergistic effect on higher encapsulation yield and stability of arbutin and coumaric acid.