Nutritional and Physico-Chemical Evaluations of Moringa oleifera Seedlings and Oil

This work was intended to respectively examine the proximate analysis; mineral compositions and physicochemical parameters of Moringa oleifera seeds and its extracted seed oil. Harvested seedlings of Moringa oleifera plant obtained from Chukwun community in Kaduna State of Nigeria presented an oil yield of 42.51%. Percentage values of 3.47, 6.84, 3.99, 26.48, 48.29 and 12.44 respectively represents the moisture content, crude fibre content, total ash, protein content, crude fat content and carbohydrate content of the seeds. The mineral elemental concentration carried out showed potassium having the highest concentration of 368.95 mg/kg while zinc concentration was the lowest (6.82). Physico-chemical examinations of its seed oil reveal 194.75 mg KOH/g sample, 68.41 gICl/100g sample, and 5.6 mg KOH/g sample respective values for saponification, iodine and acid values. The findings from this investigation show that Moringa oleifera seed and oil extracted from it could be consumed and its oil could be used as base materials for several industrial processes.