Effect of pumpkin pulp (Cucurbita maxima) pigments as natural colorants in ice cream: extraction efficiency, bioactive compounds and sensory acceptance

Introduction Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) pulp is a promising source of natural pigments with potential applications as food colorants. This study evaluated three extraction methods and the sensory acceptance of pumpkin-derived pigments in ice cream. Methods Maceration, Soxhlet extraction, and supercritical CO 2 extraction were compared in terms of extraction yield, total carotenoid and flavonoid contents, and DPPH antioxidant activity expressed as IC 50 . Analytical determinations were performed in triplicate. Extraction methods were compared using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD test. The Soxhlet extract was selected for ice cream formulation, which was evaluated by 100 untrained adult panelists using a five-point hedonic scale. Sensory data were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn–Bonferroni comparisons. Results Supercritical CO 2 extraction resulted in the highest carotenoid content (315.22 ± 0.01 mg kg −1 ) and total flavonoid content (1099.08 ± 0.04 mg QE kg −1 extract). Soxhlet extraction achieved the highest extraction yield (22.72 ± 0.33%) and the lowest IC 50 value (1.06 ± 0.035 mg/mL). The formulation containing 600 mg of extract per 600 g of ice cream (Z3) showed the highest color acceptance. Significant differences were detected for color (p < 0.05), but not for odor, flavor, or texture (p > 0.05). Discussion The extraction method affected both extraction yield and the measured characteristics of the pumpkin extracts. The results support the potential of pumpkin-derived pigments as natural food colorants, although further work is needed to evaluate their performance and stability in the final food matrix.