Exploring mature squash leaves as a raw material for functional beverages

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The mature leaves of Cucurbita moschata was explored as raw material for herbal tea. To achieve this, the mineral and phytonutrient content, the antioxidant activity and sensory characteristics of an infusion prepared with 1 g of leaves in 150 mL of boiled water during 5 min were analyzed. The findings revealed: 11.59 mg Ca, 2.5 mg Mg, 2.7 mg K, 1.95 mg P, and 0.3 mg Na for macroelements. For microelements, the content was 30 µg Zn, 20 µg Fe, and 0.1 µg Cu. The phytonutrient content included 25 µg GAE, 100 µg QE, 35 µg CE, and 5 µg respectively for polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and carotenoids, along with 23 µg of vitamin C. The diffusion rates of constituents ranged from 22.28% (Na) to 91.76% (Ca) for macroelements, 10.99 % (Cu) to 18.55% (Zn) for microelements, and 23.15% (Total carotenoids) to 84.89% (Flavonoids) for phytonutrients. The IC50 value for iron-reducing activity was found to be 31 μg/ml. 70% of the naïve panelists expressed satisfaction with the infusion of mature C. moschata leaf tea. Therefore, mature C. moschata leaf tea is a pleasant beverage that can provide consumers with essential minerals and valuable phytonutrients that enhance the body's antioxidant capacity. However, further study aiming to optimize the concentration of functional compounds in the herbal tea is needed to effectively utilize mature Cucurbita moschata leaves as a raw material in the production of functional beverages.