Characterization of Egyptian Moringa oleifera Lipids (Whole Seeds and Kernels)

Abstract

Moringa seeds (Moringa oleifera) are rich in oil contents, the purpose of this study is to extract the oil from the whole seeds and kernels of the Egyptian Moringa by cold and hot extraction methods and to study the effect of extraction method on the composition of fatty acids, tocopherols and triglycerides in extracted oil. The results indicated that the amount of extracted oil by hot extraction were 28.85% and 39.23% and by cold extraction were 21.39% and 29.34% for whole seeds and kernels, respectively. The main saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in both were behenic (6.76 – 6.49%) and oleic (66.22 – 65.78%) acids. Palmitic acid was higher in the kernels than in the whole seeds (5.90 – 5.55%), while vaccenic acid was higher in the whole seeds than in the kernels (6.33 – 6.15%), respectively. After cold extraction, stearic and behenic acids increased in whole seeds (4.55 to 5.51%), (6.76 to 7.67%) and kernels (4.45 to 5.52%), (6.49 to 7.85%), respectively. While, oleic, vaccenic, linoleic and gondoic acids decreased by cold extraction in whole seeds and kernels. Tocopherols obtained from kernels were more than whole seeds. α-Tocopherol by hot extraction in the kernels and the whole seeds was 20.92 and 14.61 mg/100g, respectively. Using cold extraction in kernels caused significant decrease in α-Tocopherol (20.92 – 16.82 mg/100g). A significant difference appeared between whole seeds and kernels in the triglycerides (2,3-dioleyl-1-palmitoylglycerol) "POO" (15.64% and 15.86%) and (1,2,3 trioleylglycerol) "OOO" (34.22 and 34.32%). After cold extraction in both, triglycerides (1,3-distearoyl-2-oleylglycerol) "SOS" and (2,3-dioleyl-1- stearoyl) "SOO" increased (1.77 – 2.17% and 9.82 – 11.25% whole seeds) and (1.80 – 2.07% and 9.86 – 11.38% kernels).