Pumpkin seed oil is derived from the unhusked seeds of pumpkin and has been traditionally made in parts of Europe for more than 300 years. Cucurbita pepo is the taxonomic name of pumpkins, but there are dozens of cultivars and subspecies from which this oil is now made. The oil is pressed from these seeds and then used for a wide variety of culinary, and medicinal applications, and is now available in many parts of the world. The oil is either a dark green or a deep red, depending on the thickness of the oil, but when the oil begins to brown, it takes on a bitter taste. In culinary applications, it is used as a salad dressing, in desserts, or even added to soups and stews for a nutty sweetness. However, due to its low smoke point, it is not used as a cooking oil. Heating the oil would neutralize the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that are found in such significant quantities in this oil, including oleic, linoleic, palmitic, stearic, linolenic and other fatty acids.