Potential of Germination in Selected Conditions to Improve the Nutritional and Bioactive Properties of Moringa (Moringa oleifera L.)

Abstract

Moringa oleifera L. is greatly appreciated for its high content of phytochemicals. Although most parts of moringa tree have been widely studied, seeds remained scarcely explored. The first goal of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of germination to improve the nutritional composition (proximate composition and levels of vitamins B1 and B2), content of bioactive compounds (glucosinolates, phenolics and γ-aminobutyric acid, GABA) and antioxidant activity of moringa seed. Germination improved protein, fat, fiber, riboflavin, phenolics, some individual glucosinolates (GLS) and GABA contents, as well as the antioxidant potential in moringa sprouts, but the extent of the improvement depended on germination conditions. The second objective of this work was to identify the optimal germination conditions to maximize nutritional and bioactive quality of moringa by applying multi-response optimization (response surface methodology, RSM). RSM models indicated that 28 °C and 24 h were the optimal conditions to enhance the accumulation of riboflavin, phenolics and antioxidant activity of sprouts, while the highest GABA and total GLS contents were observed at 36 °C for 96 h and thiamine achieved the maximum content at 36 °C for 24 h. These results show that moringa sprouts are promising functional foods that might be also used as ingredients for the elaboration of novel foodstuffs.

Brotos comestíveis: Qualidade nutricional, segurança microbiológica e potencial aplicação em novos produtos

“…Já em brotos de rabanete predominam os GLSs glucorafenina e desidroerucina, também denominada glucorafasatina (Baenas et al, 2016;Baenas et al, 2017) e nos brotos de rúcula predominou o GLS glucoerucina (Ragusa et al, 2017). Já em brotos de moringa o principal GLS encontrado foi o glucomoringina (4-α-ramnopiranosiloxi-benzil GLS) (Coello et al, 2020).…”

“…Em geral, foi observado um aumento no GABA com tempos de germinação mais longos, o que indicou a forte influência do período de germinação na sua biossíntese na moringa, sendo que o maior acúmulo de GABA foi observado após germinação a 36 °C por 96 h (219,19 mg / 100 g d.m.) (Coello et al, 2020).…”

Effect of stress on germination of djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.) sprouts: a natural alternative to enhance the betacyanin and phenolic compounds

“…Generally, chemicals such as tyrosine may be involved in the formation of pigments and influence biochemical changes during germination. Thus, the selection of stress conditions and their concentration is a crucial factor for improving the nutritional, pigment, and phytochemical composition during germination 17 . Additionally, chemical elicitors (e.g.…”

“…Thus, the selection of stress conditions and their concentration is a crucial factor for improving the nutritional, pigment, and phytochemical composition during germination. 17 Additionally, chemical elicitors (e.g. salts) would provide a multidisciplinary approach on the physiology of seed germination and related genetic implications, 16 such as a remarkable beneficial effect on the generation of bioactive compounds.…”

Innovative Processing Technologies for Developing Functional Ingredients and Food Products with Health Benefits from Grains

“…The study identified 21 °C and 3.5 days as the most suitable germination conditions to produce sprouted lentil flours with maximized quality. Similarly, the influence of germination conditions on nutritional and health-promoting compounds of moringa seeds were explored by Coello et al [ 4 ]. Sprouted moringa seeds showed higher levels of protein, fat, fibre, riboflavin, γ-aminobutyric, phenolic compounds, some individual glucosinolates and antioxidant activity than non-germinated seeds.…”