Phytochemical Characterization and Evaluation of Contaminants in the Processed Products of Organically Produced Moringa oleifera from the Niger Sahel

Document Type : Research Article-en

Authors

Massaoudou Mahamane ¹

Issoufou Amadou ²

Xiang-Rong Cheng ³

¹ School of Post Graduate (SISE), Dan Dicko Dankoulodo University of Maradi, Niger

² Department of Crop Production, Faculty of Agronomy and Environmental Sciences. Dan Dicko Dankoulodo University of Maradi, Niger

³ School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China

https://doi.org/10.22067/ifstrj.2026.96126.1498

Abstract

In the Nigerien Sahel, Moringa oleifera processing presents a valuable economic opportunity for local communities; however, product quality and safety are closely linked to the processing methods employed. This study investigated the phytochemical composition and contamination markers of Moringa leaf extracts (MLE) and Moringa seed oil (MSO) using GC–MS analysis. The results demonstrated a significant influence of processing on chemical profiles. Fatty acids dominated the compositions (32.93%). Room-dried MLE was enriched in esters (39.9%) and terpenes (18.84%), while solar-dried samples showed elevated aldehyde content (25.3%), reflecting lipid oxidation. Sun-dried extracts uniquely contained N,N-dimethyltryptamine and phenylquinonine, indicating the presence of photochemically induced metabolites. In MSO, fatty acids were predominant (72.76%), and extraction conditions affected the stability of bioactive compounds. Cold extraction preserved thermolabile molecules such as squalene (0.29%), which were absent from heat-treated samples. Contamination markers were also identified, including di-n-octyl phthalate (1.68%) in room-dried MLE and 2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (2%) in Solar dryer-dried extracts. Industrial contaminants, such as 10-undecenoyl chloride (3.68%) and 13-oxabicyclo[10.1.0]tridecane (5.85%), were detected in the control MSO. Overall, GC–MS profiling revealed that each processing method yields a distinct phytochemical fingerprint with specific nutritional, pharmacological, and safety implications. These findings highlight the need for optimized processing and packaging strategies to enhance the quality and market value of Moringa-based products in the Sahel.

Keywords

Chromatography

Infestation

Processing

Sahel

Subjects

• Food Technology

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Authors retain the copyright. This is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)

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