Upcycling of Pumpkin Peel for Functional Biscuit Production: Effects on Nutritional, Physical, Sensory, and Bioactive Properties

Year 2026, Volume: 12 Issue: 1 , 58 - 73 , 30.03.2026

Muzahin Al Bergus , Ömer Faruk Çelik

https://doi.org/10.28979/jarnas.1866093

https://izlik.org/JA87WY36GA

Abstract

Pumpkin peel is a fiber-rich agro-industrial by-product that is largely discarded despite its nutritional potential. This study evaluated the feasibility of incorporating pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) peel paste as a functional ingredient in biscuit production and its effects on nutritional composition, physical properties, sensory quality, and bioactivity. Biscuits were formulated by partially replacing wheat flour with pumpkin peel paste at levels of 10%, 20%, and 30%, and compared with a control formulation. Pumpkin peel incorporation significantly increased total dietary fiber content from 3.07 g/100 g in the control to 9.19 g/100 g at 30% substitution, while protein content decreased from 5.05% to 4.36% due to flour dilution (p<0.05). Instrumental texture analysis showed a substantial reduction in hardness, from 4331.6 g in control to 2089.2 g at 30% incorporation, indicating a softer and more brittle structure. Regarding bioactivity, biscuits containing 10% pumpkin peel paste exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, indicating a non-linear, matrix-dependent response to increasing incorporation levels. Pumpkin peel addition also modified color attributes by increasing yellowness, chroma, and browning index. Sensory evaluation revealed improved color–appearance, flavor, crunchiness, and overall acceptability in peel-enriched biscuits, with the highest acceptability index (79.0%) observed for the 30% formulation. Overall, the results demonstrate that pumpkin peel paste can be successfully utilized up to 30% in biscuit formulations to produce fiber-enriched, consumer-acceptable products while supporting the sustainable upcycling of food processing by-products.

Keywords

Antioxidant , dietary fiber , sustainability , upcycling

Thanks

The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr. Adnan UĞUR for his expert assistance in the identification of the pumpkin species. The authors also thank Büşra Nur İSTANBUL and Dr. Yunus Emre TUNÇİL for their valuable support in the analysis of dietary fiber content.

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