Moringa seed has medicinal, cosmetic and food value. This study examined the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of moringa seed, its oil and its residue, and compared cold-pressed moringa oil with extra-virgin olive oil.
The seed, oil and residue were tested against selected foodborne microorganisms (using disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration), and the physico-chemical properties, fatty-acid composition and oxidative stability of the cold-pressed oil were measured against extra-virgin olive (EVO) oil.
Key findings
- All three — seed, oil and residue — showed antioxidant and antimicrobial activity.
- The de-oiled residue had the highest antioxidant activity, followed by the oil, then the seed.
- Against Staphylococcus aureus, seed and residue extracts gave inhibition zones of 20.7 and 24.7 mm.
Caveat: a laboratory study against selected microbes; food and cosmetic performance depends on formulation.
Summary of: “Antimicrobial activity of Moringa seeds and oxidative stability compared to olive oil.” Summarised by MORIFA; full paper via the PDF link above.