Vol. 7, Issue 12, Part D (2025)

Ash Gourd (Benincasa hispida) is a significant member of Cucurbitaceae family. Benincasa is a monotypic genus and is one of the most well-known cucurbit crop. The fruit is valued for its nutritional and medicinal attributes, particularly in Ayurveda and is widely cultivated across South and Southeast Asia. India is home to cottage-scale industry of ‘Petha’, a popular sweet prepared by osmotically dehydrating ash gourd flesh. However, the industry generates substantial amount of processing waste in form of rind and seeds. This underutilized fraction, particularly the seeds, offers significant potential for value addition due to their rich nutritional and pharmacological properties, making it an important focus for scientific review and exploration. Globally, food wastes poses social, economic and environmental concerns. Valorizing nutrient-dense by-products is therefore highly relevant, especially when they contain essential nutrients. Ash gourd seeds are as beneficial as fruit flesh and serve as rich source of plant-based protein, essential fatty acids and mineral. The seed oil is of notable therapeutic value due to its content of vitamins (A and E) and terpenoids. The seed extract is reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-nociceptive and anti-pyretic properties making ash gourd seeds of considerable value for food, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. This review comprehensively discusses the cultivation, pharmacological studies, nutritional profile and industrial application of ash gourd seed, emphasizing their potential as a promising source of nutritional and functional ingredients.