摘要：Watermelon is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family and an annual plant which is cultivated in a wide range of tropical and semi-tropical regions of the world. Turkey is the third watermelon producer in the world. It is consumed primarily as a fresh fruit, but also used in producing juices, syrups, jellies, jams and canned food. In addition, its skin is used in animal feeding and the seeds are used in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. However, in recent studies, nutritional aspects of watermelon seeds have been investigated, and it was proposed to be consumed in food industry. The first functionality of watermelon seeds is that they have a high fat content and are nutritious. Physical, chemical and nutritional properties of watermelon seed oil have been the subject of several studies to determine the usability of it in food industry, and its purity and quality criteria were also investigated. The oil of watermelon can be extracted from the se eds in various ways; such as cold pressing or solvent extraction. It is light yellow in color, and is potentially an important source of essential fatty acids.
