RRJFDT | Volume 1 | Issue 1 | July – September, 2013 22 Research and Reviews: Journal of Food and Dairy Technology Extraction and Characterization of Moringa oleifera Seed Oil Orhevba BA 1 , Sunmonu MO 2 *, and Iwunze HI 1 1 Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria. 2 Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. Research Article Received: 24/03/2013 Revised: 18/05/2013 Accepted: 12/06/2013 *For Correspondence Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. Keywords: Moringa oleifera, seed oil, proximate ABSTRACT Moringa Oleifera seed oil was extracted using the solvent extraction method. The proximate analysis of the oil was carried out. The physicochemical properties of the oil were also determined. The parameters determined were: moisture content, ash, crude protein, crude fat and carbohydrate for proximate analysis; and pH, saponification value, iodine value, free fatty acid and specific gravity for physicochemical properties. The values of moisture content, ash, crude protein, crude fat and carbohydrate were 0.60%, 1.50%, 2.19%, 39.3% and 56.42% respectively. While the values obtained for pH, saponification value, iodine value, free fatty acid and specific gravity were 5.96, 164.09mg/g, 68.23g/mol, 8.27mgKOH/g and 0.86 respectively. The results showed that Moringa oleifera seed oil is a good source of Carbohydrate, also the saponification values and iodine values obtained shows that it is a good raw material for both home and industrial consumption. INTRODUCTION Moringa oleifera, commonly referred to as "Moringa" (from Tamil: Muringa and Malayalam: Murunggi,) is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Moringa, which is the only genus in the family Moringaceae. Moringa, which is the only genus in the family Moringaceae, is an exceptionally nutritious vegetable tree with a variety of potential uses. Every part of Moringa oleifera such as the seed, root and stem are useful. The tree itself is rather slender, with drooping branches that grow to approximately 10m in height [1] . Moringa oleifera is called different names worldwide [2] . Moringa oleifera is now grown widely throughout the tropics of which Nigeria is a part. It is sometimes known as the ‘drumstick’ or ‘horseradish’ tree. Ranging in height from 5 to 12m with an open, umbrella-shaped crown, straight trunk and corky, whitish bark, the tree produces a tuberous tap root. The evergreen or deciduous foliage (depending on climate) has leaflets 1 to 2 cm in diameter; the flowers are white or cream coloured. The fruits (pods) are initially light green, slim and tender, eventually becoming dark green, firm and up to 120cm long, depending on the variety. Fully mature, dried seeds are round or triangular, the kernel being surrounded by a lightly wooded shell with three papery wings [3] . In the tropics, it is used as forage for livestock; in many countries, Moringa is used as a micronutrient powder to treat diseases. The green pods, fresh and dried leaves are used as vegetable. The seeds contain up to 40% of oil by weight which is used for cooking, soap manufacture, cosmetic base and in lamps. All parts of the plant are used in a variety of traditional medicines. The press cake, obtained following oil extraction, is useful as a soil conditioner; the plants are grown as live fences and windbreaks. It is also used as fuel wood source after coppicing (cutting back the main stem to encourage side shoots); as an intercrop with other crops and the wood pulp may be used for paper-making. In the tropics, it is used as forage for livestock; in many countries, Moringa is used as a micronutrient powder to treat diseases. The green pods, fresh and dried leaves are used as vegetable [3,4] . Moringa trees have been used to combat malnutrition, especially among infants and nursing mothers. The leaves can be eaten fresh, cooked, or stored as dried powder for many months without refrigeration, and reportedly without loss of nutritional value. Moringa