Technological evaluation of modern pumpkin varieties as raw materials for jam production

For the products, that are canned sugar, and, in particular, jam with improved taste, pumpkin fruits are of great interest. Despite the proven value of pumpkin as a raw material for food production, there is not enough information on the influence of species characteristics of varieties on the quality of finished products. The studies included an assessment of the new varieties of nutmeg pumpkin in comparison with the varieties of a hard-bodied and large pumpkin as a raw material for the production of jam in terms of expanding the assortment composition of this type of product. Two synthetic cultivars of the nutmeg pumpkin (Candied pumpkin and Moscow aromatic), a synthetic variety of hard-bodied pumpkin (Prostastop) and a large-fruited squash variety (Kustovaya orange), differing in a number of technological parameters, including the density and thickness of the bark, texture, color, aroma and mass fraction of fruit pulp. It is established that the species differences of culture influence the choice of manufacturing technology and indicators of the quality of the finished product. Products of consistently high quality from hard-bodied pumpkin (C. pepo) can be obtained using standard technology, from pumpkin with large fruit (C. maxima) - by replacing 25 % of the water in sugar syrup with apple juice, from pumpkin-nut fruits (C. moschata) - by replacing 25 % (preferably) or 50 % of water in sugar syrup on apple juice. When pumpkin is grown, the weather conditions of the growing season have a great influence on the technological characteristics of fruits as a raw material for the production of jam and, accordingly, on the quality of the finished product. Weather conditions characterized by higher air temperature, especially during the formation and ripening of fruits, and sufficient amount of precipitation contribute to obtaining raw materials suitable for the manufacture of higher quality jam.