Evaluation of the Hardness of Pumpkin Pulp Depending on the Implemented Heat Treatment

The work is a compilation of the research results concerning the evaluation of the hardness of pumpkin pulp depending on the implemented methods of heat treatment, i. e. scalding pumpkin in hot water and acting on it with water steam. Extended time of pumpkin heat treatment, both in hot water and combi steamer with steam during 6 min resulted in the reduction of the pulp hardness at 46 % after steaming and 88 % after boiling and softening of the skin, which eased its mechanical removal (cleavage) from the pumpkin fruit. The study was targeted to search for the methods allowing the facilitation and mechanisation of skin removal process in the course of acquiring pumpkin pulp for food purposes.