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Published on: March 15, 2017
Cultivar effect on Moringa oleifera glucosinolate content and taste: a pilot study
Beth Doerr1, Kristina L Wade, Katherine K Stephenson
1Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization, North Ft. Myers, Florida, USA.
Ecology of Food and Nutrition
|September 3, 2011
Summary
Moringa oleifera leaf taste, crucial for its use in malnutrition, does not stem from glucosinolate levels. This study found no link between leaf glucosinolates and the taste of Moringa cultivars.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Food Science
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Moringa oleifera leaves are a vital nutritional supplement for malnourished populations, particularly infants and mothers.
- Leaf taste significantly influences the adoption and utilization of Moringa as a food source.
- Current understanding suggests taste variation is linked to glucosinolate breakdown into isothiocyanates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between taste and glucosinolate content in Moringa oleifera leaves.
- To determine if germplasm is the primary driver of taste variation in Moringa leaves.
Main Methods:
- Thirty Moringa oleifera accessions were cultivated in a uniform field setting.
- Leaf samples were collected across three distinct time points within a year.
- Taste was evaluated using a masked sensory assessment protocol.
Main Results:
- Taste assessments of Moringa leaves did not correlate with their measured glucosinolate concentrations.
- No direct relationship was found between the presumed chemical drivers (glucosinolates) and the perceived taste.
Conclusions:
- The commonly assumed link between glucosinolate content and Moringa leaf taste is not supported by this study.
- Further research is needed to identify the factors responsible for taste variation in Moringa oleifera cultivars.
