Effects of pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata duch.) leaf powder on quality characteristics, antioxidant activities, and retarding retrogradation by shelf-life of sulgidduck (rice cake)

This study investigated quality characteristics, antioxidant activities, and retarding retrogradation of Sulgidduck, traditional rice cake of Korea, prepared using rice flour added with 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% pumpkin leaf powder. Moisture content of pumpkin leaf Sulgidduck showed a tendency to increase in the 1% and 2% added group but decrease in the 3% and 4% added group. pH level significantly increased (4.50∼6.16) with an increase in content of pumpkin leaf powder (P<0.05). For color, as content of pumpkin leaf powder increased, L-value decreased and b-value increased. Hardness tended to increase with addition of pumpkin leaf powder except for the 1% added group. Springiness was not significantly different (P<0.05). Chewiness and adhesiveness increased according to addition level increase. Retarding retrogradation showed that the pumpkin leaf powder added group had a stronger effect compared to the control, whereas the 2% added group presented the most retarding retrogradation effect with the lowest Avrami exponent. Total phenols content and ABTS radical scavenging activity tended to increase as content of pumpkin leaf powder increased. Sensory properties by 7-point scale test showed that the 2% added group had the highest scores, whereas the 4% added group had the lowest scores. These results suggest that pumpkin leaf is considered as a good material to improve quality characteristics, antioxidant activities, and retarding retrogradation of Sulgidduck. The most appropriate proportion for the greatest effect of retarding retrogradation in Sulgidduck was considered to be 2%.