Formulation of a functional bread based on Moringa oleifera leaf flour: effects on physicochemical and sensory quality

• Article by Assist. research Dr. Sylvestre Dossa, Prof. Dr. Eng. Ersilia Alexa, "King Mihai I" University of Life Sciences in Timișoara.

From ancient times to the present, people around the world have relied on the main cereals: wheat, rice and maize for their diet. The lack of dietary diversity justifies the current state of global nutrition (Matthews and Ghanem, 2020), which poses a threat to nutritional security. To remedy this situation, the diet should include diverse food crops, as well as underutilized or "orphans", rich in protein, dietary fiber, phenolic antioxidants and micronutrients, which contribute to improving nutritional quality (FAO, 2010; Khoury et al., 2014).

Among these plants stand out: Moringa oleifera, also known as "the tree of life", due to its richness in bioactive compounds and beneficial effects on health, including the immune system (Oyeyinka and Oyeyinka, 2018). It is considered a miracle plant, as all its parts (leaves, seeds, flowers, etc.) can be used as a food supplement, medicinal remedy, water purification agent and animal feed (Daba, 2016). Moringa leaves contain significant amounts of micro and macronutrients, such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron, and are also an important source of protein, β-carotene, vitamins A, B1, C and E (Sanchez-Machado et al., 2010; Hekmat et al., 2015; Gonzalez-Burgos et al., 2021). Due to these nutritional and functional properties, moringa leaf flour can be used to enrich bakery products, contributing to the development of foods with superior nutritional value.

The objective of this paper is to evaluate the influence of partial substitution of wheat flour with flour obtained from leaves of Moringa oleifera on the physicochemical, technological and sensory properties of bread. At the same time, the study aims to identify the optimal level of incorporation of moringa flour, in order to develop a functional bakery product, with superior nutritional value and potential health benefits, adapted to current consumer requirements for a healthy and sustainable diet.

Moringa oleifera

Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) is a medicinal and edible plant belonging to the family Moringaceae and the order Caporales. It is native to India and is widespread in various tropical and subtropical regions. It is a medium-sized, fast-growing plant that produces throughout the year, regardless of the season (Arbonnier, 2009; Kumar et al., 2022; Waterman et al., 2014; Zulfiqar et al., 2020). Moringa leaves are a "nest" of nutrients and active ingredients (Yang et al., 2022). Numerous studies have shown that they are enriched with proteins (25% soluble proteins), minerals and all essential amino acids, in addition to high levels of vitamins and beneficial bioactive components (Sharma et al., 2022). These bioactive components include polysaccharides, polyphenols, phenolic acids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, pyrolytic alkaloids, glucosinolates (GL) and isothiocyanates (ITC), which are associated with the efficacy and medicinal properties of Moringa (Mohammad et al., 2022; Oldoni et al., 2022). According to analyses carried out on moringa leaves, they are twice as rich in calcium and protein as milk and twice as rich in vitamin C as oranges. It contains approximately the same levels of potassium, vitamin A, and iron as bananas, carrots, and beef, respectively (Madi et al., 2012).

The recipe used to make bread with the addition of flour from bay leaves Moringa oleifera

Table 1. Moringa flour bread recipe

Technological process of obtaining:

After fermentation in 800 g of warm water (30 °C), the yeast was added to the flour, honey and salt mixture. The ingredients were then mixed for 5 minutes in a spiral mixer at the first speed (80 rpm). At the second speed (200 rpm), which also lasted 5 minutes, the oil was gradually added. The resulting dough was then placed in a covered plastic bowl for 1 hour at a temperature of 20 °C. The dough was then kneaded and placed in a greased bread pan, where it increased in volume for 30 minutes at a temperature of 35 °C. The doughs were baked in an electric oven preheated to 230 °C for 24 minutes. After baking, the loaves were left to cool at room temperature for 24 hours and then cut into slices with a knife. The technological scheme for obtaining bread is presented in Figure 2.

Sensory, nutritional information and physicochemical parameters:

Regarding the physicochemical properties of bread enriched with moringa flour, the determined values ​​were 250,57 cm³/100 g for volume, 83,88% for porosity, 93,33% for elasticity, 0,717 for the H/D (height/diameter) ratio and 6,33° acidity/100 g.

The sensory evaluation revealed good product acceptability, with bread with added moringa flour obtaining high scores for texture (4,58/5 points), taste (4,17/5 points) and overall acceptability (4,17/5 points), as well as a score of 3,94/5 points for aroma.

This study aimed to obtain bread by partially substituting wheat flour with 2,5% moringa leaf flour, in order to evaluate the nutritional, physicochemical and organoleptic potential of the finished products. The results obtained highlighted that the incorporation of moringa flour contributed significantly to improving the nutritional value of the bread. On the other hand, the addition of moringa in the product formulation influenced its physicochemical characteristics. Therefore, these parameters must be taken into account in the process of producing bread with moringa flour, in order to obtain a product with optimal physicochemical properties.

In conclusion, the substitution of a small amount of wheat flour with moringa flour allowed the production of bread with a smooth appearance, soft and elastic core, uniform alveoli and acceptable organoleptic characteristics. At the same time, this substitution led to the improvement of the nutritional quality, without negatively affecting the technological and physico-chemical properties of the product. Thus, moringa flour can be considered, in small proportions, a valuable ingredient for the fortification of wheat flour-based bread.

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