Nutritional composition and prebiotic properties of freeze-dried selected cucurbit plants as potential functional food ingredients

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is prevalent in various countries, and has been rapidly increasing in Asian countries, including Malaysia. The present work aimed to elucidate the proximate composition and prebiotic properties of each freeze-dried powder of pumpkin (FDPP), winter melon (FDWMP), and rock melon (FDRMP) from the cucurbit family. It was observed that the moisture content of FDPP was significantly the lowest at 7.39%, compared to the content in FDWMP and FDRMP at 9.83 and 9.84%, respectively. The highest protein concentration was found in FDWMP at 10.51%. The total dietary fibre of FDWMP was the highest (31.28 g) compared to FDPP (9.96 g) and FDRMP (7.62 g). FDWMP showed a potential prebiotic effect only at initial from 0 to 12 h (Lactobacillus plantarum TISTR 1465), and FDRMP presented a comparatively prebiotic effect by increasing its number from 6.00 × 106 to 1.01 × 106 CFU/mL within 72 h (Bifidobacterium BB12). The FDWMP can be used for further application as an alternative potential functional food ingredient to improve nutritive values, dietary fibres, and prebiotic properties. Further study is needed to investigate the prebiotic properties of FDWMP in food products.