Pumpkin Flesh Flour Bread Keeps Quality at 5%
Researchers found bread with up to 5% pumpkin flesh waste flour matched control bread in key technological and sensory measures.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Baking
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Researchers tested bread made with pumpkin flesh waste flour at substitution levels of 2.5%, 5%, 10% and 20%. Bread with up to 5% pumpkin flesh waste flour showed technological and sensory properties comparable to control bread.
Why it matters
The findings suggest a food-processing byproduct could be partly reused in baked goods without sacrificing core qualities. Confirming any nutritional or functional benefits will require further compositional analysis of the baked product.
Baking loss peaked at 23.20% at 2.5-5% substitution and fell to 18.94% at 20%, while day-1 crumb hardness ranged from 7.59 to 18.80 N. Springiness on day 1 ranged from 0.988 down to 0.912 across substitution levels.
The details
Pumpkin flesh waste flour was substituted into bread at increasing levels, and loaf volume and specific volume held steady up to 2.5% before declining progressively from 5% onward. Crust and crumb color changed significantly with substitution level, and crumb hardness and chewiness rose on day 1 of storage while springiness and cohesiveness fell.
Timeline
Study published in Scientific Reports on November 13, 2026.
Crumb texture changes were measured over a 5-day storage period.
Culture Shift
The study extends the growing use of fruit and vegetable processing byproducts as bakery flour substitutes to pumpkin flesh waste, quantifying where bread quality begins to decline. It reflects a broader shift toward reducing food waste by reintroducing processing residues into everyday staples.
Home bakers and food producers can consider using small amounts of pumpkin flesh waste flour, up to about 5%, without noticeably changing bread volume or sensory quality. Larger substitution levels above 10% would require adjustments, since loaf volume and specific volume drop substantially at 20%.
The takeaway
Bread made with up to 5% pumpkin flesh waste flour can closely match standard bread in texture and taste. Bakers exploring byproduct flours should keep substitution levels modest to preserve loaf volume.
Further reading
For more on how bakers adjust recipes and techniques, explore the Baking section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Nature.
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Would you buy bread made with leftover pumpkin flesh flour?
