TIEMPO Y TEMPERATURA SOBRE LA PÉRDIDA DE HUMEDAD Y CONTENIDO DE PROTEÍNA EN HOJAS DE Moringa oleifera LAM.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of time andtemperature on the loss of moisture (ML) and the content of raw protein (RP) in Moringa oleifera (moringa) leaves. Nine treatments obtainedfrom the combination of two study factors were evaluated: temperature (40, 50 and 60 °C) and dehydration time (48, 60 and 72 h) in forced aircirculation stoves. Nine samples of moringa were introduced (250 g)into these, to later withdraw three samples from each stove at 48, 60 and 72 h. The data were analyzed under a completely random design (CRD) with factorial arrangement (3x3). Time and temperature affected (p?0.05) positively and negatively the pH and RP content, respectively. All the combinations of time and temperature allow obtaining moisture percentages under 13 %, except with 40 °C for 48 h. The moringa leaves presented RP contents that ranged between 25.6 and 31.5 %. When the temperature was increased from 40 to 60 °C, the RP decreased 3.6 % (p?0.05), while when increasing the dehydrated time from 48 to 72 h, the RP decreased 1.9 % (p?0.05). Using the temperature of 40 °C and drying time of 60 and 72 h allowed conserving a higher content of raw protein (29 %) in the moringa leaves.