eng Enviro Research Publishers Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science Journal 2347-467X 2322-0007 2026-07-01 14 2 26478 article Samia Motri 1 Karima Gharsallah 2 Leila Rezig 3 Rabeb Lassoued 5 Siwar Nefzi 1 Wissem Mnif 6 Process Engineering Department, Higher Institute of Technological Studies of Zaghouan, Zaghouan, Tunisia. Physics Laboratory of Soft Matter and Electromagnetic Modeling, Faculty of Science of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia High Institute of Food Industries, High Institute of Food Industries, Tunis, Tunisia Laboratory of Protein Engineering and Bioactive Molecules, National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, University of Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia Laboratory of Materials Molecules and Application, IPEST (Preparatory Institute for Engineering Studies of Tunis), La Marsa, Tunisia Department of Chemistry, University of Bisha, Bisha, Saudi Arabia This study aims to analyze the chemical properties and lipid profile of "Béjaoui," a Tunisian pumpkin variety, using two extraction methods: Soxhlet extraction with n-hexane (PSOS) and cold pressing (PSOP). Gas chromatography analysis identified linoleic acid (C18:2) as the most abundant fatty acid, accounting for 45.76% in PSOP and 46.36% in PSOS. The choice of extraction technique significantly influenced the quality of the resulting oils. The cold-pressed oil (PSOP) showed higher concentrations of chlorophylls (12.37 ± 1.05 ppm), beta-carotene (1.98 ± 0.31 ppm), and polyphenols (57.66 ± 2.61 ppm). Conversely, the Soxhlet-extracted oil (PSOS) contained a greater amount of phosphorus (23.87 ± 1.65 ppm) compared to the cold-pressed oil (3.17 ± 0.76 ppm). These findings highlight that the extraction method plays a crucial role in determining the quality characteristics of pumpkin seed oil. Cold pressing, in particular, enhances the oil’s potential for innovative applications across various sectors, including industrial, nutritional, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical fields. https://www.foodandnutritionjournal.org/volume14number2/cucurbita-maxima-pumpkin-seed-oil-chemical-properties-and-profile-characterization/ Cold-pressed extraction Cucurbita maxima Physicochemical properties Pumpkin seed oil Soxhlet extraction