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This study was carried out in order to compare the biochemical characteristics from three edible parts of the multipurpose tree Moringa oleifera such as the leaves, flowers, and immature pods. On average, the three most abundant amino acids were glutamic acid, arginine, and aspartic acid. The fatty acids present at the highest content were linolenic acid (C18:3ω3), palmitic acid (C16:0), linoleic acid (C18:2ω6), and oleic acid (C18:1ω9). The chemical composition (of dry weight) ranged from 19.34% to 22.42% for protein, 1.28% to 4.96% for lipids, 7.62% to 14.60% for ash, and 30.97% to 46.78% for dietary fiber. M. oleifera is a nonconventional plant with substantial nutritional value.

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This study presents an HPLC method for the quantification of sterols in edible seaweeds. Sterols were identified by HPLC/mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) in positive APCI mode. The samples were saponified by refluxing with 1 m ethanolic KOH, and the non-saponifiable fraction was extracted with hexane. Sterols were quantified by HPLC with UV detection (HPLC-UV), on a 15 x 0.4 cm Kromasil 100 C(18) 5 micro m column (mobile phase 30:70 v/v methanol:acetonitrile; fl ow rate 1.2 mL/min; column temperature 30 degrees C; detection wavelength 205 nm). Method repeatability for fucosterol was good (coefficient of variation 2.4%). Sterol contents were determined in canned or dried brown seaweeds (Himanthalia elongata, Undaria pinnatifida, Laminaria ochroleuca) and red seaweeds (Palmaria sp., Porphyra sp.). The predominant sterol was fucosterol in brown seaweeds (83-97% of total sterol content; 662-2320 micro g/g dry weight), and desmosterol in red seaweeds (87-93% of total sterol content; 187-337 micro g/g dry weight).

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