الفهرس 
General characteristics of cucurbitaceae familyOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 100 |  |  |
| | | from | 100 | | |
Abstract
The Cucurbitaceae family is formed by about 130 genera and 800 species, including squashes, pumpkins, melons, and gourds. Cucurbitaceae plants are cultivated in warmer regions of the world and many of their parts are typically used as food, especially the fruit, the flowers, and the seeds However, Cucurbitaceae seeds have long been used in indigenous diets as popular medicine, thanks to their bioactive and nutraceutical properties.
Industrially, Cucurbitaceae seeds are normally used for the extraction of edible and drying oils which comprise about half of the seed’s weight [8]. The main byproduct in the oil production is the oil cake which is rich in carbohydrates and has a very high content of protein (60–65% [w/w]; [9, 10]). However, this nutritive and potentially bioactive byproduct is usually discarded as waste or only used as animal feed. Since Cucurbitaceae seeds also seem to be a valuable source of good quality proteins in terms of their amino acid composition; they could potentially be used as functional food ingredients.
Therefore, the objective of the present study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, nutritive value, and functional properties of some cucurbit seeds as well as evaluate using these seeds as a food fortification of some food to enhance their functional properties. This objective was achieved throw determination of chemical composition, mineral contents, extraction, estimation, and identification of phenolic compounds found in different seed using (HPLC), amino acids, fatty acids, determination of the functional properties of the seeds flour, determination the physicochemical properties of the seeds oil. Finally, some cucurbits seeds were evaluated as a food supplement in biscuits and cupcake products.