Seyed Mohammad Taghi Gharibzahedi - Department of Food science, Engineering and Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
Vahid Etemad - ۴Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Department of Agricultural Mechanization, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Ghahderijani - ۴Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Department of Agricultural Mechanization, Tehran, Iran
Mehri Karbasi Baboldashti - ۱Department of Food science, Engineering and Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

The present study describes the biochemical composition of Moringa peregrina seed and its oil characterization from Iran. The oil density, refractive index, color, viscosity, acidity, saponification value, iodine value, unsaponifiable matter, fatty acid composition, peroxide value, K232 and, K270 and its susceptibility to oxidation measured with the Rancimat method were determined. The proximate analysis of seeds showed the following composition: moisture 4.4%, ash 2.7%, fat 55.7%, crude protein 23.4%, total fiber 3.2% and carbohydrate content 14.8%. Gas chromatography analysis indicated that oleic acid (77.9±0.12%) appears as dominantfatty acid in seed oil followed by palmitic acid (9.3±0.05%), stearic acid (3.5±0.12%)and behenic acid (2.6±0.07%). Other fatty acids detected in the samples were palmitooleic, arachidic, linolenic and linoleic acids, at 2.5, 1.8, 1.6, 0.16 and 0.6% respectively. The physicochemical properties showed that the seed oil contained low acid value (0.06±0.01%), iodine value (91.70±1.44mg/g), peroxide value (0.66±0.04meq O2/kg), k232 (1.77), k270 (0.72), oil stability (10.1h for 120°C), unsaponifiable matter (0.32±0.01g/kg oil) and saponification value (179.3±0.27mg KOH/g), respectively. Also, the oil refractive index, viscosity, density and color were 1.4621, 52.05mPa.s, 0.9092g/cm3 and 24.2 Y + 0.99 R, respectively. On the basis of the present results, it appears that suitable blending of high linoleic oils with M. peregrina seed oil can result in oil blends which could meet nutritional needs with improved stability for domestic cooking and deep-frying.

Moringa peregrina seed, Proximate composition; Oil quality, Fatty acid profile,Physicochemical properties, Oil stability