DOI: https://doi.org/10.55373/mjchem.v25i1.55

Keywords: Moringa olifera seed oil (MOSO); properties; oil, thermal stability

Abstract

Moringa olifera seed oil (MOSO) is a pleasant smelling, golden yellow liquid with a yield of 40.00 ± 0.20 % and a specific gravity of 0.89 ± 0.01. The oil had an acid value of 17.54 ± 0.15 mg KOH/g, a free fatty acid value of 8.77 ± 0.30 %, an iodine value of 48.22 ± 0.11 g I2/100 g oil, a peroxide value of 6.00 ± 0.01 mEq/kg, a saponification value of 257.36 ± 0.13 mg KOH/g, an ester value of 239.82 ± 0.37 mg KOH/g and a heat of combustion value of 8976.94 ± 1.19 gcal/g. The peroxide value, colour and smell of MOSO makes it desirable as an edible oil, while the acid and free fatty acid values do not. The thermal stability of this oil was investigated by studying its acid value, peroxide value and iodine value at 50 °C, 70 °C and 90 °C on an hourly basis for up to 8 hours. The acid value increased marginally, the peroxide value increased rapidly, while the iodine value decreased steadily as heating time and temperature increased. The results showed that heating time and temperature did not considerably affect the acid and iodine values. However, the oil was very prone to auto-oxidation at the temperatures under consideration. The study also showed that with appropriate treatment, this oil can be used for edible as well as industrial applications, including as feedstock for producing fuel.