Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) trees’ successful growing in Iraq revealed vital seeds distinguished by their oil quantity and quality. A seed proximate analysis indicated its moisture (4.08%), ash (3.25%), protein (32.91%), fats (38.11%), fibers (7.55%), and carbohydrates (14.1%), respectively. Moringa seeds oil extraction employed different methods (mechanical pressure, Soxhlet extraction, cold solvent extraction, and soaking and mixing with hexane solvent for 24 hours). The results showed significant (P ≤ 0.05) variations in the extracted oil percentage and all tests for physicochemical properties. The cold solvent extraction yielded the highest oil percentage (41.899%), followed by the Soxhlet extraction with petroleum ether (39.9%) and with hexane (38.04%), and the mechanical pressure extraction (12.97%). The results indicated substantial (P ≤ 0.05) differences in the percentage of fatty acids (Palmitic, Arachidic, and Behenic) in the extracted oil for each extraction method. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences were evident in their qualitative properties, such as peroxide value, free fatty acid content, and melting point. Overall, the soaking and mixing extraction method with a solvent displayed the highest quantity yield of oil with superior quality. Meanwhile, the mechanical pressing method produced high-quality oil and the lowest yield.
Moringa (M. oleifera), seed oil, mechanical pressing extraction, cold extraction, Soxhlet extraction, oil content, physicochemical properties of oil
Moringa oleifera seeds are one of the most important sources of oils, which are considered healthy oils due to the high percentage of essential fatty acids. It is important to find the best methods to extract them with high quality.