Characterisation of Moringa peregrina Arabia seed oil

Abstract

Oil content of Moringa peregrina seeds (from Saudi Arabia) was 49.8%. Results of some physical and chemical characteristics of extracted oil were: refractive index (40 °C) 1.460, density (24 °C) 0.906, acidity (as oleic) 0.30%, iodine value 69.6, saponification number 185 and peroxide value 0.4 meq/kg. Moringa peregrina seed oil was found to contain high levels of oleic (70.52%), followed by gadoleic (1.5%), while the dominant saturated acids were palmitic (8.9%) and stearic (3.82%). α- γ- and δ-tocopherols were detected at levels of 145,58 and 66 mg/kg respectively. The induction period (at 120 °C) of tomato seed oil was 10.2 hours and reduced to 8.1 hours after degumming. Specific extinctions at 232 and 270 nm were 1.66 and 0.19 respectively, β-sitosterol was found as the most predominant component of the sterolic fraction of the oil. Other sterols found in percentages higher than 1.5% were 24-methylenecholesterol, campesterol, stigmasterol and Δ⁵-avenasterol. In addition, trace to minor anaounts of brassicasterol, campestanol, Δ⁷-campestanol, clerosterol, Δ^5,24-stigmastadienol, Δ⁷-stigmastanol and Δ⁷-avenasterol were found.