Evaluation of wheat flour blended with different ratios of Moringa Oleifera leaves and seeds

Abstract EN

Chemical composition, minerals content, amino acids, fiber fractions, fatty acids profile, total phe-nols, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity were determined in wheat flour (WF) 72%, moringa leaves powder (MLP), defatted moringa seeds powder (DMSP) and moringa seeds (MS).

Pasting profile and rheological properties of blends sup-plemented with MLP at levels of 3, 6, 9 and 12% or DMSP at levels of 5, 10, 15 and 20% were also studied.

The highest moisture and carbohydrate contents were found in WF (12.60 and 85.05%), respectively.

MLP had higher ash and fiber con-tents (8.87 and 7.91%), respectively, while, protein and fat contents were higher in DMSP and in MS.

Mineral content (Ca, K, Mg, P, Na and Fe) in MLP was the highest, while DMSP was higher in Zn content than that of other samples.

Fiber fractions of WF were lower than that of both MLP and DMSP.

Total essential amino acids of DMSP was higher (19.25%) than that of MLP and WF (12.45 and 4.16%), respectively.

Oleic acid was the pre-dominant fatty acid (66.85%) in moringa seeds oil.

MLP had the highest value of total phenolic, total flavonoid and antioxidant activity (11.97, 8.02 and 15.87 mg/g), respectively.

Color measurements showed that all of MLP, DMSP and WF blends decreased in L*, a*,however, they increased in b*, saturation, hue and ΔE values.

Supplementation with MLP and DMSP at all levels decreased the peak viscosity, trough, breakdown, final and setback viscosities.

While, it increased water absorption, dough development time, mixing tolerance index and dough weaken-ing.

On contrary, arrival time and dough stability were decreased.

Also, MLP and DMSP decreased the extensibility, resistance to extension, maximum resistance to extension energy of dough and the proportional number.