Germinated seeds of three Cucurbita varieties: Physical characteristics, minerals profile, and drying behavior.

The objective of this study was to investigate the physical characteristics and mineral profile of seeds of three Cucurbita varieties, one of the species Cucurbita maxima (variety Crown, one Cucurbita moschata (var. Jacarezinho) and one Cucurbita pepo (var. Italian), in natura and germinated forms. Additionally, perform the drying of the germinated samples at temperatures of 50, 60, and 70°C, evaluating the adjustment by different mathematical models to predict the process, calculate the effective diffusivities, and determine the activation energy and the thermodynamic properties of the samples. The seeds were germinated until 96 hr. Then, the unit mass, apparent specific mass, real specific mass, porosity and unit volume, and the mineral profile were determined. The germinated seeds were crushed and placed to dry with a thickness of 0.5 cm until reaching the equilibrium water content. Germination resulted in an increase in unit mass, unit volume, real density, and porosity; reducing the apparent density. The minerals were presented in different proportions, with emphasis on the calcium content in the Crown variety, potassium and phosphorus in Italian variety, and magnesium in Jacarezinho variety. The Henderson and Pabis modified model was the one that best fitted the experimental data of the three varieties. The effective diffusivities of the germinated seeds increased with increasing drying temperatures. The activation‐energy value was higher in the Crown variety, followed by Jacarezinho and Italian. The greatest enthalpies and entropies were determined in the Crown variety and the highest Gibbs free energies in the Italian variety. Practical Applications: The knowledge of the physical aspects, the minerals concentration, and the use of drying germinated pumpkin seeds results in products with good palatability, expanding the possibilities for industrial and commercial use. The drying of agricultural products in a convective dryer makes it possible to reduce the water content to a certain value, minimizing microbiological activity and reducing chemical deterioration reactions, essential to increase shelf life, control waste, and allow the use and consumption of a product with high quality on a large scale. The contribution to the area consists of determining important values for seed processing industries interested in greater energy efficiency and in the precise adaptation of processes and equipment, with a view to reducing costs and maximizing the quality of the final product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]