Nutritional Quality of Moringa oleifera Seeds and Physicochemical Properties of Its Crude Oil

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the centesimal composition of Moringa oleifera Lam seeds and identify the physicochemical properties of crude oil extracted from Moringa oleifera Lam seeds. The values ​​found for the centesimal composition showed that the seeds are constituted by 41% of crude oil, 32.40% of proteins, 4.20% of ash, 19.54% of carbohydrate, and 2.86% of moisture. These results indicate that Moringa oleifera Lam seeds are a potential source for health and diet food products. Compared with oils from Moringa oleifera Lam seeds grown in other countries, the physicochemical characteristics found in the oil are in agreement with data from the literature. Therefore, Moringa oleifera Lam oil can be used as a potential source for the manufacture of several industrial products, such as food and cosmetics.