Interprovenance variation in the composition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Moringa oleifera</Emphasis> oilseeds from Pakistan

Interprovenance variation was examined in the composition of Moringa oleifera oilseeds from Pakistan. The hexane-extracted oil content of M. oleifera seeds harvested in the vicinity of the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (Punjab, Pakistan), Bahauddin Zakariya University (Multan, Pakistan), and the University of Sindh, Jamshoro (Sindh, Pakistan), ranged from 33.23 to 40.90%. Protein, fiber, moisture, and ash contents were found to be 28.52–34.00, 6.52–7.50, 5.90–7.00, and 6.52–7.50%, respectively. The physical and chemical parameters of the extracted M. oleifera oils were as follows: iodine value, 67.20–71.00; refractive index (40°C), 1.4570–1.4637; density (24°C), 0.9012–0.9052 mg/mL; saponification value, 177.29–184.10; unsaponifiable matter, 0.60–0.83%; color (1-in. cell), 1.00–1.50 R+20.00–30.00Y; smoke point, 198–202°C; and acidity (% as oleic acid), 0.50–0.74. Tocopherols (α, γ, and δ) accounted for 114.50–140.42, 58.05–86.70, and 54.20–75.16 mg/kg, respectively, of the oils. The induction periods (Rancimat, 20 L/h, 120°C) of the crude oils were 9.64–10.66 h and were reduced to 8.29–9.10 h after degumming. Specific extinctions at 232 and 270 nm were 1.80–2.50 and 0.54–1.00, respectively. The major sterol fractions of the oils were campesterol (14.13–17.00%), stigmasterol (15.88–19.00%), β-sitosterol (45.30–53.20%), and ͤ⁵-avenasterol (8.84, 11.05%). The Moringa oils were found to contain high levels of oleic acid (up to 76.00%), followed by palmitic, stearic, behenic, and arachidic acids up to levels of 6.54, 6.00, 7.00, and 4.00%, respectively. Most of the parameters of M. oleifera oils indigenous to different agroclimatic regions of Pakistan were comparable to those of typical Moringa seed oils reported in the literature. The results of the present analytical study, compared with those for different vegetable oils, showed M. oleifera to be a potentially valuable oilseed crop.