Nutritional potential of Moringa Oleifera in baked food

products

A PROJECT REPORT

Submitted in partial fulfillment for the completion of the course

Food Process Engineering (CHE1017)

by

Shubh Parekh (18BCM0012)

Adamya Patel (18BCM0022)
Sparsh Goyal (18BCM0120)
Zawar Aditya Mahendra (18BCM0121)

Under the guidance of

Dr. Aruna Singh

School of Chemical Engineering

October – 2020

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 DECLARATION BY THE CANDIDATES

We hereby declare that the project report entitled “Nutritional potential of

Moringa Oleifera in baked food products” submitted by us to Vellore Institute of
Technology, Vellore in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the completion of
the course Food Process Engineering (CHE1017) is a record of bonafide project
work carried out by us under the guidance of Dr. Aruna Singh. We further declare
that the work reported in this project has not been submitted and will not be
submitted, either in part or in full, for the award of any other degree or diploma in
this institute or any other Institute or University.

Place: Vellore Signature of the Candidates

Date: 30-10-2020
Shubh Parekh (18BCM0012)
Adamya Patel (18BCM0022)
Sparsh Goyal (18BCM0120)
Zawar Aditya Mahendra (18BCM0121)

School of Chemical Engineering

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 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project report entitled “Nutritional potential of Moringa
Oleifera in baked food products” submitted by Shubh Parekh (18BCM0012),
Adamya Patel (18BCM0022), Sparsh Goyal (18BCM0120), Zawar Aditya
Mahendra (18BCM0121) to Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, in partial
fulfillment of the requirement for the completion of the course Food Process
Engineering (CHE1017) is a record of bonafide work carried out by them under my
guidance. The project fulfills the requirements as per the regulations of this
Institute and in my opinion meets the necessary standards for submission. The
contents of this report have not been submitted and will not be submitted either in
part or in full, for the award of any other degree or diploma and the same is
certified.

Dr. Aruna Singh Dr. Shishir Kumar Behera

Project Guide DEAN
SCHEME

Internal Examiner External Examiner

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to sincerely thank our respected faculty Dr. Aruna Singh without
whose guidance, it would have not been possible for us to do this project. Her
valuable guidance, support and supervision all through this project are responsible
for attaining its present form. I would further like to thank all my team members for
their constant support and hard work.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks the chemical engineering department
which helped us with all information. Thanks to all our friends, seniors and other
faculty members to make this project a great experience. Finally, thanks to our
family for their encouragement and support throughout our course of learning. In
the course of doing this project, we learnt many new things about the Nutritional
value of Moringa Oleifera powder and its tremendous potential as a healthy food
supplement.

Although, this report has been prepared with utmost care and deep routed interest,
we accept the shortcomings and imperfections inherent in it.

Shubh Parekh (18BCM0012)

Adamya Patel (18BCM0022)
Sparsh Goyal (18BCM0120)
Zawar Aditya Mahendra (18BCM0121)

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

S. NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

ABSTRACT iii
LIST OF TABLES iv
LIST OF FIGURES iv

1. INTRODUCTION 1
2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 2-3
1.1 Aim 2
1.2 Objectives 2
1.3 Research Gap 2-3
3. LITERATURE REVIEW 2-3
4. MATERIALS AND METHODS 4-5
3.1 Materials 4
3.2 Sample Preparation 4-5
3.3 Analysis 5
5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 6-11
4.1 Sample Characteristics and Hedonic Scale 6-8
4.2 Nutritional Assessment 8-11
6 CONCLUSIONS 12
REFERENCES 13-15

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 ABSTRACT

Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam. moringaceae) is a highly valued plant that is mostly cultivated
in the tropics and subtropics. It is used for food, medication and industrial purposes. Moringa
Oleifera powder is rich in nutrients and hence can also be incorporated in snack development. In
this project, investigation of the effect of Moringa Oleifera powder on the nutritional composition
of bakery products has been conducted. A regressive analysis of various parameters associated
with nutritional content of bread samples was employed wherein, four different samples of bread
were prepared keeping the ingredients within appropriate proportions, and varying only the value
of Moringa Oleifera(powder) in each sample. Once the samples were prepared, sensory
evaluation in terms of appearance, taste, aroma and texture was performed using Hedonic Rating
scale. In order to assess the nutritional content of the bread samples, the use of an Online Calorie
calculator has been undertaken. A parameter known as Nutrient density has been defined to
provide clear distinction between the observations.
The experimental observations indicated that: on increasing the amount of Moringa Oleifera in a
bread sample, the average score obtained from the Sensory Evaluation decreases whereas its
Nutritional density and Calorific value increases. The results indicate that Moringa Oleifera
powder as a food supplement, will provide additional nutritional value to the food and hence is
healthy to consume.
Keywords: Moringa Oleifera powder, Nutrient density, Calorific value, healthy food
supplements, Sensory evaluation.

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 LIST OF TABLES

TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

1 Ingredients Used 4

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

1. Sample 1 (with 10g M. Oleifera) 6
2. Sample 2 (with 20g M. Oleifera) 6
3. Sample 3 (with 30g M. Oleifera) 7
4. Sample 4 (with 40g M. Oleifera) 7
The numerical scores and their corresponding
5. 7
likeliness in a Hedonic Scale system
6. Hedonic Scale Rating for bread (batch 1) 8
7. Hedonic Scale Rating for bread (batch 2) 8
8. Nutritional Facts and nutrient density for sample 1 9
9. Nutritional Facts and nutrient density for sample 2 9
10. Nutritional Facts and nutrient density for sample 3 10
11. Nutritional Facts and nutrient density for sample 4 10
Variation of Nutrient density with M. Oleifera
12. 11
powder

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 CHAPTER - 1
INTRODUCTION

Moringa oleifera is a fast-growing, drought-resistant, commonly known as Moringa, drumstick

tree, horseradish tree, ben oil tree, or benzoil tree is the only genus in the family Moringaceae.
The plant is native to northwestern India, and widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas
(Floraa 2011). All parts of the Moringa tree are edible and have long been consumed by humans
(Prabhu 2011). Moringa is used worldwide in the traditional medicine, for various health
conditions, such as skin infections, anaemia, anxiety, asthma, blackheads, blood impurities,
bronchitis, catarrh, chest congestion, cholera, infections, fever, glandular, swelling, headaches,
abnormal blood pressure, hysteria, pain in joints, pimples, psoriasis, respiratory disorders, scurvy,
semen deficiency, sore throat, sprain, tuberculosis, for intestinal worms, lactation, diabetes, and
pregnancy (Kuete 2017).
Moringa oil has tremendous cosmetic value and is used in body and hair care as a moisturizer and
skin conditioner. It has been shown that aqueous, hydroalcohol, or alcohol extracts of M. oleifera
leaves possess a wide range of additional biological activities including antioxidant, tissue
protective (liver, kidneys, heart, testes, and lungs), analgesic, antiulcer, antihypertensive,
radioprotective, and immunomodulatory actions (Stohs 2015). Phytochemical analyses have
shown that M. oleifera is a rich source of potassium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, vitamins A and
D, essential amino acids, as well as known antioxidants, such as β-carotene, vitamin C, and
flavonoids (Kuete 2017).
Almost all parts of moringa are edible, with regional uses varying widely: Immature seed pods,
called "drumsticks", leaves, mature seeds, oil pressed from seeds, flowers and roots. The leaves
are the most nutritious part of the plant, being a significant source of B vitamins, vitamin C,
provitamin A as beta-carotene, vitamin K, manganese, and protein.
Owing to its high nutritional density, moringa leaf powder is valued as a dietary supplement and
may be used to enrich food products ranging from dairy, such as yogurt and cheese, to baked
goods, such as bread and pastries.

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 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

1. Aim
To determine the nutritional potential of Moringa Oleifera in baked food products.
2. Objectives
To prepare bread using different compositions of Moringa Oleifera, evaluate its
nutritional value and to perform a sensory evaluation by employing Hedonic scale to
assess the bread’s acceptability.
3. Research Gap
The studies performed in the past have shown that the nutritional value tends to improve with
the addition of Moringa Oleifera to bread. However, poor sensory properties are associated
with the introduction of Moringa Oleifera powder within a food sample. It has not yet been
established about how much of this supplement needs to be added to the product to gain
maximum benefit.
The present study takes both the nutritional as well as the sensory properties into account to
obtain an optimal amount of M. Oleifera powder that makes the bread healthy and acceptable.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Moringa Oleifera has been extensively studied for its nutritional, medicinal and functional
properties (Sultana)(Anwar)( Ntibrey). M. Oleifera seed oil and leaves are the widely studied and
used parts of the plant. However, an absence of literature on using M. Oleifera as a supplement in
baked food products was found. The use of M. Oleifera to improve the nutritional value of staple
foods in many parts of the world including Africa may be termed as food fortification
(Oyeyinka). Several attempts have been made by researchers to either reduce or completely
replace the amount of wheat flour used in bread formulation (Gallagher).
Bread is a staple in many parts of the world, whose quality is determined by several factors
including loaf volume, the color and texture of the crust and crumb. Its nutritional value is

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dependent on the ingredient used in its formulation. The inclusion of M. Oleifera flower, seed or
leaf powder in bread dough prepared from wheat flour alone or in combination with other flours
has been reported to improve nutritional value of bread (Chinma)(Ogunsina)(Sengey). The
improvement in nutrient composition of M. Oleifera fortified bread was found to be accompanied
by poor sensory properties compared to the unfortified bread (Sengev et al., 2013). The
fortification of wheat flour with M. Oleifera seed flour in bread production up to 15% reportedly
increased protein content by approximately 67% without significantly altering the sensory
properties (Ogunsina et al., 2010).
Sensory quality such as color, taste and aroma are important parameter that determines to a great
extent the acceptability of a product. Color seems to be the most important of all as an attractive
product will get the attention of the consumer before other properties may play a role (Oyeyinka).

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 CHAPTER - 2
MATERIALS AND METHODS

2.1 Materials
A total of four batches of bread were prepared with varying Moringa Oleifera composition (10g,
20g, 30g, 40g). Moringa Oleifera powder was used for uniformity in the product. All the
ingredients used were procured from local markets and are given in table 1.
Table 1: Ingredients Used

Ingredients Amount used

Dry Yeast ¼ ounce
Warm water (110° to 115°) 2-1/4 cups
Sugar 3-1/2 teaspoon
Salt 1 tablespoon
Canola Oil 2 tablespoons
Bread flour 6-1/4 to 6-3/4 cups

2.2 Sample Preparation

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in warm water; let the mixture stand until
bubbles form on the surface. Whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and 3 cups flour
and the Moringa Oleifera powder (10g, 20g, 30g and 40g). Stir oil into yeast mixture; pour into
flour mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a
soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. Place in a
greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled,
1-1/2 to 2 hours. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide dough in half.
Shape each into a loaf. Place in 2 greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, 1 to
1-1/2 hours. Bake at 375° until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped or has
reached an internal temperature of 200°, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

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Finally, four samples were prepared with M. Oleifera composition as 10g, 20g, 30g and 40g. A
total of two batches were prepared for getting uniformity in the results.

2.3 Analysis
In order to determine the nutritional potential of Moringa Oleifera, a regressive analysis of
various parameters associated with nutritional content of a food product was performed. Four
different samples of bread were prepared keeping the ingredients within appropriate proportions,
and varying only the value of Moringa Oleifera (powder) in each sample. Once the samples were
prepared, sensory evaluation in terms of appearance, taste, aroma and texture was performed on
them individually (using Hedonic Rating scale). In order to determine the nutritional value of
each sample, tools like ‘Online Calorie calculator’ can be employed (this provides a tentative
analysis of the nutritional content). The responses obtained from both of the above analyses were
tabulated to prepare a cumulative score of each sample which will further help to identify the
most optimum blend of ingredients to prepare bread.

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 CHAPTER – 3
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Sample Characteristics and Hedonic Scale

The four samples of bread were properly baked and subjected to sensory evaluation in terms of
appearance, taste, aroma and texture. Effect on samples with increasing M. Oleifera powder
content can be seen in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4. In comparison to the normal white bread, these
products were having a green and darker texture. A mild pungent smell was observed in Sample 1
and it increased with increase in M. Oleifera powder content. It was also observed that bread with
lower M. Oleifera content were easy to cut into slices and had no stickiness while eating.
Samples 3 and 4 with 30g and 40g M. Oleifera content respectively produced pungent smell
while cooking and was found to be sticky while eating.

Figure 1: Sample 1 (10g Moringa Oleifera) Figure 2: Sample 2 (20g Moringa Oleifera)

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Figure 3: Sample 3 (30g Moringa Oleifera). Figure 4: Sample 4 (40g Moringa Oleifera)

Hedonic scale is used in tasting panels where the judges indicate the extent of their like or dislike
for the food through a numerical analysis.
The verbal anchors of the scale are selected so that the psychological distance between successive
scale points is approximately equal. This equal-interval property helps justify the practice of
analysing the responses by assigning successive integer values (1, 2, 3, … up to 9) to the scale
points and testing differences in average acceptability using parametric statistics.

Figure 5: The numerical scores and their corresponding likeliness in a Hedonic Scale system
Two batches were prepared in order to maintain uniformity and an average of both were taken
into consideration. The hedonic scale ratings for both batches are shown in figures 6 and 7. The
judges were Anita Zawar and Shaurya Parekh for batch 1 and batch 2 respectively. It was
observed that M. Oleifera powder had an immense effect on the bread as with increasing the
powder content, the bread started to give a pungent smell and was bad in taste.

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 Figure 6: Hedonic Scale rating for bread (Batch 1)

Figure 7: Hedonic Scale rating for bread (Batch 2)

3.2 Nutritional Assessment

In order to assess the nutritional value, a parameter known as nutritional density will be
employed. Nutritional density can be defined as the amount of nutritional value, including
vitamins, minerals, and fiber, divided by the calories, or energy content, of that food. Foods that
provide lots of calories with very little nutritional value are sometimes called energy dense foods,
but their nutrient density is low. A bunch of fresh spinach, on the other hand, would be an
example of a nutrient dense food because its nutritional value is relatively high compared to its
caloric content. Thus, greater is the nutritional density of the food, greater is its nutritional value.

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When cooking from scratch, we can work out the total calories of a food sample by adding up the
calorie content of each ingredient. We will need to use food labels, kitchen scales to weigh
ingredients, and an online calorie counter. Nutrition facts were obtained using an online calorie
calculator [4].
Nutritional Density = Mass of(Carbohydrate + Protein + Dietary fiber + Fats)
Calorie value of food

The nutrient density was found to increase from 0.2442 g/cal to 0.2552 g/cal with increasing the
M. Oleifera content from 10g to 40g.

Figure 8: Nutritional Facts and nutrient density for sample 1

Figure 9: Nutritional Facts and nutrient density for sample 2

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 Figure 10: Nutritional Facts and nutrient density for sample 3

Figure 11: Nutritional facts and nutrient density for sample 4

On increasing the amount of drumstick pods in the bread sample (10 gm succession in each
sample), its calorific values as well as the nutrient values increase. However, since the value of
nutrient factor increases at a much faster rate as compared to the calorific value, the overall
nutrient density increases in each successive sample. From these observations we can justify the
addition of Moringa oleifera in food as a healthy nutritional supplement.
Figure 12 shows the variation of nutrient density with varying the M. Oleifera powder. A steep
increase can be seen while increasing the M. Oleifera powder from 30g to 40g.

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 Figure 12: Variation of Nutrient density with M. Oleifera powder
Higher amounts of M. Oleifera powder in the bread represents an increased nutrient density and
results in being healthier than conventional white bread. However, sensory evaluation suggests
that lower the amount of M. Oleifera in bread is much more acceptable.

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 CHAPTER – 4
CONCLUSIONS

Based on experimental observations, Moringa Oleifera has been found to be a

healthy supplement in bread. However, large amounts of Moringa powder may lead
to onset of unfavorable characteristics such as pungent smell, bad taste and
difficulty in cutting the bread. It was also found that on increasing the amount of
Moringa Oleifera in a bread sample, the average score obtained from the Sensory
Evaluation decreases; On increasing the content of Moringa Oleifera (drum stick
pods), the nutrient density of a bread sample increases; On increasing the amount
of drumstick pods in the bread sample (10 gm succession in each sample), its
calorific values as well as the nutrient values increase. However, since the value of
nutrient factor increases at a much faster rate as compared to the calorific value, the
overall nutrient density increases in each successive sample.
Finally, with the observations from the experiments performed, a bread with less
than 10g M. Oleifera supplement will be widely acceptable as well as healthier than
the normal white bread. The additional health benefits offered by Moringa Oleifera
powder can be utlizied to produce other healthier snacks.

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 REFERENCES

[1] Zungu, N., van Onselen, A., Kolanisi, U., & Siwela, M. (2019). Assessing the nutritional
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[3] Busani, M., Patrick, J. M., Arnold, H., & Voster, M. (2011). Nutritional characterization of
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[4] Flora, S. J., & Pachauri, V. (2011). Moringa (Moringa oleifera) seed extract and the
prevention of oxidative stress. In Nuts and Seeds in Health and Disease Prevention (pp. 775-785).
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[5] Prabhu, K., Murugan, K., Nareshkumar, A., Ramasubramanian, N., & Bragadeeswaran, S.
(2011). Larvicidal and repellent potential of Moringa oleifera against malarial vector, Anopheles
stephensi Liston (Insecta: Diptera: Culicidae). Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine, 1(2),
124-129.

[6] Kuete, V. (2017). Moringa oleifera. In Medicinal Spices and Vegetables from Africa (pp.
485-496). Academic Press.

[7] Stohs, S. J., & Hartman, M. J. (2015). Review of the safety and efficacy of Moringa oleifera.
Phytotherapy Research, 29(6), 796-804.

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[13] Chinma, C. E., Abu, J. O., & Akoma, S. N. (2014). Effect of germinated tigernut and
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[14] Ogunsina, B. S., Radha, C., & Indrani, D. (2011). Quality characteristics of bread and
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[15] Sengev, A. I., Abu, J. O., & Gernah, D. I. (2013). Effect of Moringa oleifera leaf powder
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[16] https://www.nutritionvalue.org (13/10/2020)

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