Abstract: The reliance on a few staple crops and the dearth of knowledge on the sensory qualities of some crops has led to underutilization of some crops, and food insecurity in many countries. To address these issues, it is essential to diversify and promote the use of underutilized crops such as pumpkin. Pumpkin, a nutrient-rich and versatile fruit, is an integral part of Nigerian cuisine, particularly in the southwestern region. With its rich cultural and culinary significance, pumpkin has been cultivated and consumed in various forms across different agro-ecological zones. This study explored the sensory characteristics of Cucurbita fruits by adopting stratified sampling approach in selecting 32 accessions from a pool of 127 freshly harvested Cucurbita fruits sourced from four distinct agro-ecological zones in Southwest Nigeria. The selection criteria included morphological characteristics such as size, shape and color uniformity. The fruits were boiled without any additive and allowed to cool at room temperature.
Adejoke. O. Baderinwa-adejumo and Faith E. Udoh (2025);
Unveiling the Hidden Flavors of Pumpkin: A comparative Sensory Evaluation of Boiled fruit from Diverse Germplasm Collections in Southwest Nigeria;
International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications (IJSRP)
15(2) (ISSN: 2250-3153),
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.15.02.2025.p15830