Targeted fermentolysis of pumpkin pulp as a tool for developing the quality of semi-finished products

Effective processing of agricultural products using biotechnology methods is one of the global trends in the development of agriculture and the food industry. The use of pumpkin pulp in food formulations increases their biological value due to the micronutrient β-carotene contained in it, reduces the cost of products and increases shelf life. The main goal of the study was the selection of enzyme preparations and conditions for their use to improve the quality of the semi-finished product from pumpkin pulp Cucurbita spp. Fresh pumpkin fruits from the 2020-2023 harvest were used as research objects. consumer maturity level. It has been established that the gelatinization temperature of pumpkin starch lies in the range from 65 to 75 °C for all studied pumpkin varieties. When the heating temperature rises above 75 °C, the process of starch boiling begins, which is accompanied by a decrease in the viscosity of pumpkin puree. It has been shown that the most suitable enzyme preparations for targeted enzymolysis of the starchy part of pumpkin puree are α-amylase preparations Termamyl SC and Amylorizin at a dosage of 25 units amylolytic activity/g of raw material, ensuring complete hydrolysis of starch within 40–55 minutes. As shown by the results of a tasting analysis, after enzymolysis with amylolytic enzyme preparations, the taste of raw vegetables and the unpleasant starchy taste noted in native pumpkin puree became practically imperceptible, which proves the effectiveness of the proposed method of directed enzymatic lysis for improving the quality of the semi-finished product from pumpkin pulp. The presented research results make it possible to create the prerequisites for the industrial technology of processing pumpkin into semi-finished products with high nutritional and biological value due to low temperature effects on native raw materials, which will improve the organoleptic properties of the finished product, as well as preserve pumpkin carotenoids during processing