Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) seed oil was extracted using supercritical carbon dioxide and the physicochemical properties of the oil were determined. A central composite rotatable design was used to analyse the impact of extraction parameters (temperature, time and pressure) and a response surface methodology was used to obtain optimal extraction conditions for the maximum oil yield. All three variables studied were significant demonstrating quadratic effects. The maximum yield of the extracted oil was 30.7% and the optimum conditions were 32,140 kPa and 68.1 degrees C for 94.6 min which was within the experimental domain. Physicochemical properties of the oil showed that the extracted oil could be used as food oil supplement. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd.