Investigation of the chemical composition of pumpkin pulp as a basis for soft drinks

Pumpkin fruits ( Cucurbita spp.) have a number of advantages and high technological potential, thanks to almost universal cultivation in a wide range of agro-climatic conditions, the ability to long-term storage, the content of dietary fibers, pectin and other polysaccharides, carotenoids, polyphenolic substances, vitamins, which cause a wide range of physiological orientation. In the process of researching the composition of local cultivars of pumpkin and the world experience of using Cucurbita spp. in the composition of food products, the need to use this ingredient in beverage recipes has been substantiated. The content of dry substances in the pumpkin samples is from 8.18 % ("Gribovskaya") to 11.6 % ("Orange bush"). The maximum sugar content is distinguished by the varieties "Winter Sweet" (6.87 %) and "Orange Bush" (7.40 %). The content of BAS-antioxidants is (without visible difference depending on the growing region): carotenoids from 1.3 mg/100 g in "Gribovskaya" to 2.0 mg/100 g - "Orange bush"; ascorbic acid - 8.7 mg/100 g in "Rossiyanka" to 14.2 mg/100 g - "Orange bush". Today all parts of the pumpkin fruit are used: the bark is a raw material for the production of feed flour and a substrate for the cultivation of lactobacilli, the seeds are traditionally used to produce pumpkin oil and flour, the pulp of the fruit is a raw material for juice-containing products, purees, carotenoid-containing and polysaccharide extracts, pectin, concentrates of first and second dishes, snack products, pasta, bakery, confectionery and meat products, etc.