Assessment of Total Phenolic Compounds, Antioxidant Capacity, β-Carotene Bioaccessibility, HMF Formation, and Color Degradation Kinetics in Pumpkin Pestils

Pestil, often known as fruit leather, is one of the most significant traditional foods manufactured and consumed throughout Türkiye. Due to its practical consumption, availability numerous nutrients, ability meet energy requirements, pestil recognized a snack food. The aim this study was evaluate bioaccessibility total phenolic compounds (TPC), antioxidant capacity (AOC), β-carotene in pumpkin pestils dried by hot air drying (HAD), vacuum (VCD), microwave (MD) methods using an vitro digestion model. Additionally, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) formation color degradation were evaluated. Changes TPC AOC determined spectrophotometric methods, whereas detections HMF carried out with high performance liquid chromatography–photodiode array detector (HPLC–PDA). Significantly higher (10.99–105.70%) (15.30–118.58%, 21.88–401.04% 89.28–482.14%, CUPRAC, FRAP, DPPH assays, respectively) values observed after (p<0.05). Moreover, it that there statistically increases for all compared undigested samples Drying process resulted lower content (between 32.15–61.11%) pestils; however, increased percentage bioaccessible (max 62.16%) samples. Compared HD VCD techniques, MD exhibited significantly TPC, All except those at 180 W contain below Turkish Standards Institute legal limit 50 mg/kg. L* value described adequately zero- first-order kinetic models while a* b* only fitted zero-order In conclusion, findings obtained pointed processes (especially method) AOC, β-carotene.