Carotenes from Pumpkin Flesh and Peel: A Review on Their Physicochemical Properties, Preparation Techniques, Detection Methods and Antioxidant Potential

The pumpkin, an annual trailing herbaceous plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family and the Cucurbita genus, has a long cultivation history and possesses strong regenerative ability, high adaptability, and high yield. It is an economically important species cultivated worldwide. The pumpkin flesh and peel contain pumpkin pigments, which are rare natural pigments with strong coloring power. They overcome the disadvantages of natural pigments having weaker coloring power than synthetic pigments and have a wide range of applications. The main components of pumpkin pigments include α-carotene, β-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which have high nutritional value. The paper reviews the physical and chemical properties of pumpkin flesh and peel pigments, preparation techniques (conventional and current technologies), detection methods, and antioxidant potential (including free radical scavenging ability, antilipid oxidation ability, and antioxidative stress ability) with the aim of providing references for the application of pumpkin pigments in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries.