Effect of soaking, germination, and roasting on the proximate composition, antinutrient content, and some physicochemical properties of defatted Moringa oleifera seed flour.

The effect of soaking, germination, and roasting on some physicochemical properties
of defatted Moringa seeds flour was studied using a 23
complete factorial design.
Soaking was operated for 24 hr in water (1/10, w/v) with changing of water every
4 hr. Germination consisted of soaking seeds previously for 6 hr in water and sprout�ing for 8 days. Roasting was done at 140°C/50 min. A total of eight treatments were
then applied to the seeds which were then dehulled, finely ground, and defatted, and
the resulting flours were submitted to physicochemical analysis. The results showed
that particle size of defatted flour was bimodal (13 and 300 µm). The whiteness index
varied from 66.9 for the soaked–germinated–unroasted (S.G.UR) sample to 79.8 for
the nonsoaked–germinated–unroasted (NS.G.UR) sample. The moringa flours (treated
or untreated) were concentrated in proteins (57.21–70.45 g/100 g DW). While the
protein and crude fiber (3.11–5.20 g/100 g DW) contents significantly increased
with the treatment, the carbohydrate (14.56–24.67 g/100 g DW) and total dietary
fibers (22.99–38.28 g/100 g DW) diminished. The antinutrients/toxicants as sapo�nins, oxalates, phytates, and trypsin inhibitors were significantly (p < .05) reduced
with treatment. While most of the antinutrients were at low level in the flour, the
glucosinolates were at remarkably higher levels which may induce toxicity if con�sumed. Glucosinolates ranged 5.84–7.95 g/100 g DW and were not reduced above
the tolerance limit (0.79 g/100 g DW). In overall, the treatments induced important
improvement of the nutritional quality of the flour with combined treatment being
more efficient.
Novelty impact statement: The combined treatments (S.G.UR., S.NG.R, NS.G.R, and
S.G.R) were more efficient compared to single treatments (S.NG.UR, NS.G.UR, and
NS.NG.R) with raw (untreated) sample (NS.NG.UR) as a reference. The most efficient
combined treatment was S.G.R. followed by S.G.UR, NS.G.R., and S.NG.R because
they promote the best increasing protein contents of defatted Moringa seed flour
with 20% of increase for S.G.R., 10% for S.G.UR., and 6% for NS.G.R and S.NG.R. The
maximum antinutrients reduction was observed with combined treatments; thus, the
reduction rate of glucosinolates was −18% and −28% for S.G.R and S.NG.R, saponins
was −37% and −66% for S.NG.R and S.G.UR., alkaloids was −71% and −66% for S.G.R and NS.G.R, oxalates was −51% and −57% for S.NG.R and S.G.UR, respectively, and
trypsin inhibitor was −100% for almost all combined treatment.