Effect of cold-press and soxhlet extraction on fatty acids, tocopherols and sterol contents of the Moringa seed oils

The current study presents physico-chemical attributes, fatty acid, sterol and tocopherol compositions in oils obtained from Moringa seed using either cold-press or Soxhlet extraction systems. Moringa oleifera and M. peregrina seed oils, recovered using cold press (CP) and Soxhlet extraction (SE) techniques, contained substantial amount of oleic acid (75.49 and 74.62% in CP 73.83 and 71.67% in SE) showing significant (p < .05) differences. Palmitic acid contents of M. oleifera and M. peregrina oils were 9.58 and 11.74% in case of CP and 12.27 and 12.84% in SE. The α-tocopherol contents of M. oleifera and M. peregrina oils obtained using these two techniques were 139.61 and 137.89 mg/kg in CP and 142.74 and 151.67 mg/kg in SE systems. Stigmasterol contents of M. oleifera and M. peregrina oils obtained with cold press and Soxhlet extraction system were found as 19.62 and 17.84% to 18.54 and 15.41%, respectively.