الفهرس 
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Abstract
This study was carried out to determine the nutritive value of mature summer squash
(Cucurbita pepo) fruit (rind and seeds) also assessment the concentrations of
antinutritional factors in both seeds and rind. Furthermore, study the effect of processing
such as soaking, roasting and soaking followed by roasting on the levels of some bioactive
compounds and antinutritional factors in seeds. Furthermore, some functional foods such
as decorated cake, chocolate spread, and yogurt were fashioned by means of hulled roasted
seeds; rind powder was also added to tomato sauce. The examined fruits were collected
from El-Sewed field, Kum El-Farag “Kum Abu Hanash” village, Abu El-Matamir city,
Beheira Governorate, Egypt during the time of June, 2021. The area of study is one of the
most essential areas in Egypt for the production of summer squash seeds. The data
obtained with regard to the studied samples were statistically analyzed. The results
obtained could be summarized in the following points:
1-The virtual check of mature summer squash fruit samples showed that most of samples
varied from yellow to dark orang exocarp, a little number of the examined mature fruits
have green orange exocarp and very little number of fruits remained green from outside.
The mesocarp color of mature fruits varied from bright yellow to white-orange, the
endocarp was orange but darker than the mesocarp. The exocarp of mature fruits was
woody in all the examined samples while the mesocarp was hard to be cut.
2- The weight of fresh mature fruits ranged from 2570 to 3530g with average weight
3162g. The length ranged from 18.1 to 30.8cm with average 24.6cm. The diameter varied
from 6.7 to 15.20cm in some examined fruit towards 9 to 20cm in other fruit with
average ranged from 7.6 to 17.4cm. The volume of the inspected mature fruits ranged
from 2310.94 to 3632.86cm3 with average volume 2995.53 cm3
. The density of mature
fruits varied from 0.88 to 1.22 g/cm3 with average 1.06 g/cm3
.
3- The rind (peels + flesh) weight on dry weight basis varied from 169.66 to 236.21g with
average weight 210.66g represents 77.18% (23.18% for peels and 54% for flesh) of total
fruits weight. On the other hand, the lowermost weight of seeds on dry weight basis was
58.29g, while the uppermost weight was 64.85g with average weight 61.67g which
represents 22.82% of total fruits weight.
4- The number of seeds in the studied mature summer squash fruits varied from 275 to 306
with average 291. The lowest number of seeds was recorded in the fruit has the lowest
density. The maximum percentage of seeds was 27.04% while the minimum was 20.35
%. This finding can be explained throughout getting the fruit’s maturity degree which can
be known from its peduncle status and fruit’s color. The percentage of seeds to rind
raised from 3.5% on wet weight basis to 22.82% on dry weight basis due to the high
moisture content of rind (93.11 %) comparing to seed’s moisture content (43.41%).
5-The seeds obtained from the examined mature summer squash fruits were thick coated
and they have dark green chlorenchyma. No hulled seeds were found between the
obtained seeds from the examined mature summer squash fruits, empty besides deformed
seeds also were found. The moisture content of the extracted seeds decreased after drying
process on 60 oC from 43.41 to 7.34%.
6- The density of the obtained seeds decreased after drying from 0.86 to 0.67 g/cm3
. Dried
raw seeds were parted on the base of density to empty seeds also deformed seeds
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(impurities) and fine seeds. The density was 0.25, 0.44, and 0.75 g/cm3
for the empty
seeds, empty plus deformed and fine seeds respectively. Significant difference was found
between the density of dried raw seeds, empty seeds, impurities (empty and deformed seeds), and fine seeds.