Abstract

DEL TORO MARTINEZ, John J; CARBALLO HERRERA, Arturo  and  ROCHA ROMAN, Leobardo. Corn flour fortified with Moringa oleífera leaves powder: alternative against hunger on vulnerable population. rev. cienc. [online]. 2016, vol.20, n.2, pp.77-86. ISSN 0121-1935.  https://doi.org/10.25100/rc.v20i2.4675.

The plant Moringa oleífera, as proven on a previous study by the authors, poses significant values on protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. The need emerges to investigate a substrate to include this plant on the diet of vulnerable population. The methodology employed for this study was developed through the fabrication of corn flour fortified with Moringa leaf powder. The two factors to be studied are: the weight percentage of corn flour and the weight percentage of Moringa leaf flour. Subsequently, comparative bromatological trials were carried out. Initially, when comparing Moringa leaf powder with other references around the globe, it was found that the quantity of lipids, carbohydrates, phosphorus, sodium, iron, magnesium, zinc and vitamin A is significantly greater. Moreover, the quantity of crude fiber and vitamin B1 is similar. It was observed that when substituting 20% and 40% of dehydrated moringa leaf flour in corn fortified flour, the quantities of the micro-nutrients calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin B2 are significantly greater. Likewise, only with a substitution of 40%, the quantity of protein (11.6 g/100 g) and vitamin B1 (1.3 mg/100 g) is greater. Thus, a new product with industrial scaling possibilities and outstanding nutritional properties is obtained.

Keywords : Food security; Moringa oleífera; fortification; sub-nutrition.

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