CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents that review of literature related to that present study. It includes the

history, healthy alternative way of reducing the oil content while retaining the nutritional content

of the food could be achieved through vacuum frying. This study aimed to develop a value-added

product to squash through the adoption of the vacuum frying technology introduced by the

DOST. This specifically determined the acceptability of the quality attributes of vacuum fried

young squash and its hypothesized differences in terms of color, taste, texture, and general

acceptability by employing the three process schedules. Three batches of thinly sliced frozen

squash were fried under vacuum at 80°C for 20 minutes; 90°C for 15 minutes; and 100°C for 10

minutes. The vacuum fried squash were subjected to sensory evaluation of its quality attributes

in terms of color, taste, texture and general acceptability using the 9-point Hedonic Scale by the

selected panelists (n=30) who were considered as potential customers. Results of the sensory

evaluation showed that the quality attributes of the vacuum fried squash were liked very much by

the panelists however, significant differences existed in terms of the color and general

acceptability of the product. The panelists considered vacuum fried squash which were subjected

to the first and second process schedules acceptable. http://pubs.sciepub.com/

Squash is the collective name given to several species of plant in the genus Cucurbita,

including C. maxima, C. mixta , C. moschata and C. pepo, which are widely grown for their

edible fruit. Squash plants are herbaceous annual plants which are either trailing vines or bush-

like in morphology. Vines generally have large, lobed leaves and long vines which can climb by

attaching to surfaces with their tendrils. Bushes generally take up less space than the sprawling

vine types and may have prickly leaves. Squash plants produce yellow or orange flowers and

green, white or yellow fruit in a variety of shapes and sizes with smooth or ridged skin. Vining

squash varieties can reach several meters in length and, as annuals, survive only one growing

season. Squash originate from North and Central America and are referred to by their cultivar

name e.g. acorn squash, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, zucchini, banana squash, hubbard

squash and buttercup squash. https://plantvillage.psu.edu/

Banana, fruit of the genus Musa, of the family Musaceae, one of the most important fruit

crops of the world. The banana is grown in the tropics, and, though it is most widely consumed

in those regions, it is valued worldwide for its flavour, nutritional value, and availability

throughout the year. Cavendish, or dessert, bananas are most commonly eaten fresh, though they

may be fried or mashed and chilled in pies or puddings. They may also be used to flavour

muffins, cakes, or breads. Cooking varieties, or plantains, are starchy rather than sweet and are

grown extensively as a staple food source in tropical regions; they are cooked when ripe or

immature. A ripe fruit contains as much as 22 percent of carbohydrate and is high in dietary

fibre, potassium, manganese, and vitamins B6 and C. https://www.britannica.com/

Food technologists at the University of the Philippines Los Baños have identified local

squash varieties that may be used for food processing. Squash is a nutritious and commercially

important vegetable planted in many regions in the Philippines. President Gloria Macapagal

Arroyo is now pushing for large-production of nutritious and affordable vegetable-based food

items. Unlike in countries such as the USA, squash varieties bred specifically for processing are

unavailable in the Philippines. Local manufacturers merely use varieties already available in the

market. But as vegetable processing is being intensively promoted by the government, squash

has a huge potential for processed food, e.g., noodles, soup, baby food, packed snacks and bread.

Dr. Linda Mabesa and Mr. Wilson Tan, researchers at the Food Science Cluster, College of

Agriculture UPLB evaluated the qualities of 35 squash varieties from all over the country in

order to determine possible indices of squash quality for processing. A physic - chemical

analysis and sensory evaluation of samples was made. From the samples, squash flour and

noodles, frozen squash slices and squash puree were also prepared and evaluated. The

researchers identified properties such as color, texture, cohesiveness, and most especially,

sweetness and flavor, as important determinants of acceptability for processing. None of the

varieties evaluated had all the desired traits and qualities sought for processing. The researchers,

however, identified five varieties that can be used in developing squash-based products. Suprema

1 and 2, hybrid varieties released by the East-West Seed Company, can be used for frozen squash

slices in ready-to-cook vegetable packages. San Marcelino variety from Zambales was found

suitable for making puree to be used as ingredient in veggie drinks. This and the variety called

Tinuning from Pampanga can also be made into flour. The variety Acc 206-1 from the National

Plant Genetic Resources Laboratory in UPLB scored highest in total soluble solids present. The
study made by Dr. Mabesa and Mr. Tan was part of a project funded by the DA-Bureau of

Agricultural Research. The project’s aims were to collecting squash germplasm and develop

varieties for the food processing industry. https://www.asiaresearchnews.com/

Foreign Studies

Cucurbita pepo L. (pumpkin, squash,gourd) is an economically important member of the

Cucurbitaceae family and is among the 10 leading vegetable crops worldwide, being the

extensively grown in temperate and subtropical regions of the world (Paris 1996; Tadmor et al.

2005). This specie is probably the most polymorphic species with respect to fruit characteristics

like size, shape, and color, and nearly all of the domesticates have non-bitter fruit flesh that is

thicker, more highly colored, and less fibrous than that of their wild relatives. These domesticate

types also have larger and fewer vegetative and reproductive parts (Paris et al. 2003). Pumpkin

has received considerable attention in recent years because of the nutritional and health

protective value of the seeds that are rich in health beneficial compounds like polysaccharides,

carotene, mineral salts, vitamins, and others (Fu et al. 2006; Fu et al. 2007; Zhemerichkin and

Ptitchkina 1995). Some previous preliminary reports showed that a pumpkin-rich diet could

reduce blood glucose (Li et al. 2001; Zhang and Yao 2002) as well as mixtures of flax and

pumpkin seeds supplemented in diet of diabetic rats revealed to be helpful in preventing diabetes

and its complications (Makni et al. 2010).

Lately more attention has been focused on the utilization of food-processing byproducts

and wastes, as well as underutilized agricultural products. Only a small portion of plant material

is utilized directly for human consumption, while the remaining portion of this material or part of
it may be converted into nutrients for either food or feedstuff or into fertilizers, so an important

contribution to food resources or industrial products could be made (Kamel et al. 1982). After

the removal of the pulp and flesh from pumpkin squash still remains a large quantity of shell and

seeds as waste products. Pumpkin seeds are often utilized directly for human consumption as

snacks after salting and roasting in many Arabian countries and these seeds have been reported

as excellent sources of protein (25.2–37 %) and oil (37.8–45.4 %) (Al-Khalifa 1996; Lazos

1986). Several previous reports have described the nutritive value of proteins, fatty acids and

vitamins from pumpkin seed oils (Murkovic et al. 1996; Stevenson et al. 2007), but there are

very few on the antioxidant properties of pumpkin seeds and shell. These by-products are

produced in large quantities by economically important agro-food companies in Portugal. In this

study we aim to evaluate the potential of residues from the industrial processing (squash

pumpkin shell and seeds) in order to be used as sources of beneficial compounds like

nutraceuticals for functional foods (for humans and animals) evaluating the presence of

antibacterial agents, as well as of natural antioxidants and therefore having a high potential of

being processed into added value co-products. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

Squash is probably one of the most versatile and delicious foods available throughout the world,

and it packs a serious punch in terms of possible health and medicinal benefits. Different

varieties of squash may have different benefits, which may include the ability to improve heart

health and aid in diabetes management. These fiber-rich vegetables might also help normalize

blood pressure levels. Squash is a broad term that encompasses several different species of

plants, including pumpkins, zucchinis, courgettes, and marrows. The individual species include

dozens of varieties, including buttercup, Hubbard, cushaw, acorn, summer, autumn, and winter

squash. They have many overlapping characteristics and belong to the genus Cucurbita. In North

America, most of the varieties are simplified into either summer or winter squashes. Squash also

often includes gourds, of which there are many classifications as well.

Squashes, especially the yellow-colored variety, are an important source of dietary carotenoids.

Carotenes, chiefly α-carotene and β-carotene, are precursors to vitamin A, which may have a

significant role in vision and in maintaining a healthy immune system. Other important

carotenoids present are lutein and zeaxanthin. Both varieties – winter and summer squashes – are

rich sources of vitamins A, C, and K, according to the USDA. In terms of minerals, squash

contains magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper, phosphorus, calcium, and iron. According

to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, winter squash has a very low glycemic index,

which may help in stabilizing sugar levels. Certain varieties like pumpkin contain possibly good

amounts of dietary fiber and may include the polysaccharide known as pectin. Pectin is an

essential element in blood sugar regulation throughout the body, making sure that the insulin and

glucose activities within the body remain constant and smooth. In a rat model, pumpkin
polysaccharides showed a powerful glucose tolerance effect, suggesting that it can also help

reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

There are so many wonderful benefits of squash, but it is important to recognize some of the

potential problems. Toxic squash syndrome can occur due to cucurbit poisoning, though it is

quite rare. Squashes contain a compound called cucurbit E. that causes a reaction in certain

people. According to a March 2018 report in the JAMA, two unrelated women in France fell ill

and lost hair due to cucurbit poisoning. Other side effects include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

To reduce the chances of this syndrome, it is advisable to avoid the extremely bitter-tasting ones.

https://www.organicfacts.net/