Nutritional Quality, Lipid, Mineral Profiling and Antioxidant Activities of Moringa Oleifera Seeds from Senegal

Oilcakes are defined as by-products of oilseeds processing. They are usually considered as a primary source of protein in animal diets. This study aims to compare physicochemical characteristics of oils and oilcakes produced from <i>Moringa oleifera</i> seeds (MOS) in order to better understand their diverse properties. These characteristics govern their nutritional profiles, stability and functional attributes, thus impacting the sensory qualities and shelf-life of food products. The roasted seeds were subjected to a traditional pressing to produce <i>M. oleifera</i> seed oil (MOSO) and its residual oilcake (MOOC) left after extraction process. MOS, MOSO, and MOOC were subjected to analysis of mineral elements, protein content, fatty acid composition, total polyphenols, total flavonoids, condensed tannins, and antioxidant activity. Mineral profiling revealed higher levels of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron in MOOC to the MOS. The total protein content of the MOS and MOOC was respectively 7.74 ± 0.01% and 5.96 ± 0.01%. For bioactive compounds, the MOS and MOOC showed a notable flavonoids content, with values respectively of 17.64 ± 0.55 mg QE/g DM and 14.86 ± 0.23 mg QE/g DM. While for total phenolic content, it was around 1.43 ± 0.06 mg GAE/g DM for the MOS and 2.65 ± 0.04 mg GAE/g DM for the MOOC. Similarly, high FRAP and DPPH activities were recorded, with values of 17.38 ± 0.88 mg AAE/g DM and 6.08 ± 3.82 mg AAE/g DM, respectively. The MOSO was characterized by high amount of monounsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid with a value reaching 69.56 ± 0.1% (cis). The results of this study showed that MOS and MOOC are a rich source of nutrients such as minerals, oil and fatty acids. The high content of unsaturated fatty acids, mainly oleic acid, makes the MOSO a valuable food for human consumption with a real impact on health and well-being.