Physicochemical Properties of Oils Extracted from Two Moringa Cultivars Seeds

Moringa trees are found in many parts of the world, including tropical regions, and is a valuable plant for obtaining oil for food and non-food applications. This study aimed to investigate the physicochemical characteristics of oils extracted from moringa seeds. The results showed that Moringa oleifera oil had a refractive index of 1.4781 (at 25ºC), a density of 0.817 g/cm³, and a viscosity of 33.5 mPa/s. In contrast, M. stenopetala oil had a refractive index of 1.4678, a density of 0.820 g/cm³, and a viscosity of 32.0 mPa/s. The chemical characteristics of M. oleifera oil, such as acid value, peroxide value, iodine value, and saponification value, were 0.92, 1.71, 67.07, and 180.00, respectively. For M. stenopetala oil, these values were 0.99, 0.86, 54.40, and 209.00; respectively. Gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) was used to detect the fatty acids in the oils, revealing that oleic acid was predominant, followed by palmitic acid. Sterols such as beta-sitosterol and campesterol were also estimated in the moringa oils. Furthermore, the oils demonstrated good oxidative stability.