Physicochemical and functional characterization of pumpkin seed protein isolate†

The increasing demand for plant-based protein sources has driven extensive research into various underutilized seeds and their protein isolates. This research addresses the gap by systematically investigating the physicochemical, functional and morphological properties of pumpkin seed protein isolate (PSPI). By establishing the potential of PSPI as a versatile plant-based protein source, this research expands the knowledge base for its application in food product development. The proximate composition (moisture, ash, fat, protein, and carbohydrate) content of PSPI was found to be 7.56%, 2.58%, 1.28%, 85.78%, and 2.8%, respectively. The dispersibility increased with an increase in pH (from 9 to 12). The mineral composition was found to be Mg (4.20), P (0.62), K (457.82), Ca (3.76), Fe (5.81), Cr (0.10), Mn (1.46) and Cu (0.21) mg/100 g. SDS-PAGE showed 10 detectable bands with molecular weights ranging from 5 to 250 kDa. All the essential and non-essential amino acids were present, indicating the presence of good quality proteins. The onset and melting point temperatures of PSPI were found to be 69.3 °C and 75.6 °C, respectively. This research advances the field of food science and technology by identifying PSPI as a promising plant-based protein source in the formulation of food, contributing to the development of nutritious and sustainable food products.