Investigation on processing thinned-out young bitter gourds by twin-screw press

Thinned-out young bitter gourds grown in Okinawa prefecture were juiced using a twin-screw press in order to find a new use for the vegetable and to produce nutritious food products. Bitter gourds were juiced to separate juice and pulp, with a resulting weight ratio of 8 : 2. Almost all vitamin C in the bitter gourds was retained through the juicing process and was retained in a ratio of 8 : 2 (weight of juice/weight of pulp). Processing by the twin-screw press had a throughput of 40 kg/h and had an electrical power demand of 0.091 kWh per 1 kg of juice produced. Both juice and pulp products can be used as nutritious and low-priced food ingredients, which are rich in vitamin C.