Treatments and uses of Moringa oleifera seeds in human nutrition: A review

Abstract

This work reviews treatments and uses of Moringa oleifera seeds in human nutrition. Moringa oleifera seeds are considerable sources of proteins (mean 19%) and lipids (mean 31%). Previous reports presented the nutritional properties of the seeds and oil. Moringa seeds are sources of lipids, and their removal leads to Moringa seed flour with a high protein content which might play a role in food technology and human nutrition. Moringa oil has been tested in frying and was found to be more stable than groundnut oil; its incorporation in groundnut at level lower than 10% improved on the acceptability of chips. Several treatments like roasting, germination, and boiling have been applied to Moringa seeds to produce flour with improved nutritional properties. In particular, defatted Moringa flour has been applied in different formulations including cakes, cookies, burgers, infant porridges. Generally, the products deriving from the flour were more stable in conservation and well accepted for low substitution while high substitution increased the bitterness. Notwithstanding their high content in protein and oil, defatted M. oleifera seed flour and oil are still fairly investigated in order to envisage their integration in the food habits of people. The present wrote up reviews the treatments applied on M. oleifera seeds and applications of the defatted M. oleifera flour and oil in food systems for human nutrition.