Dietetic Food Products Based on Pumpkin Flour (Curcuma Moschata)

Abstract

The general objective of this research is to develop food diversification based on pumpkin flour to increase food security. Pumpkin contains an active component ie-carotene which has potential as a raw material for making diet food formulas for infants, elderly and people with degenerative diseases. The formula used in the development of diet foods is based on applicable standard methods (Ministry of Health and FAO). Elderly food products were made from pumpkin flour, soybean flour, skim milk, and sucralose sugar in the form of porridge. The best instant pumpkin porridge formula has the characteristics of bulk density 0.6235 g/mL, rehydration time 57 seconds, contains 4.98% water, 5.81% ash, 5.90% fat, 10.77 % protein, 8.10% crude fiber, 62.44% carbohydrates, and 3673.06 g/g-carotene. Dietetic products for diabetics were pumkin noodles with addition of glucomannan as a binder and palm sago starch. The selected pumkin noodle product was made from treatment of pumpkin flour and palm sago starch with a ratio of 30:70. The selected treatment pumkin noodles had physical characteristics, namely the value of hardness 530.25 gf, adhesiveness 0.62 gf and elasticity 0.76 mm. This product contains 57.75% water, 1.44% ash, 6.87% protein, 392.15 g/g-carotene and 563.214 ppm antioxidant activity.