Effect of <i>Moringa oleifera</i> leaf powder inclusion on the phytochemical and antioxidant activity of <i>akamu</i>

Abstract

Moringa leaf powder (MLP) was added akamu at 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% levels of incorporation and labelled MA₁, MA₂, MA₃ and MA₄ respectively. Another batch of MLP was blended with an equal amount of soybean powder (SBF) and similarly incorporated into akamu at the same levels and labelled MSA₁, MSA₂, MSA₃ and MSA₄. Akamu supplemented with 40% soybean flour (SBA) and unsupplemented akamu (AKM) served as controls. The total phenolic content of akamu increased from 0.35 to 3.06 g/100g, flavonoids increased from 0.06 to 0.27 g/100g for AKM and MA4, respectively. The total phenolic content for SBF incorporated akamu increased (p < 0.05) from 0.35 g/100g to 1.71 g/100g, flavonoids increased (p < 0.05) from 0.06 g/100g to 0.25 g/100g for AKM and MSA₄ respectively. The percentage DPPH scavenging activity of akamu was enhanced significantly (p < 0.05) by the addition of MLP and SBF. The DPPH activity of MA₄ (88.91%) was significantly higher than that of the AKM (33.40%). Similarly, the DPPH activity of MSA₄ (86.34%) was higher than that of AKM. There were significant (p < 0.05) increases in reducing power with levels of addition of both MLP and SBF. The reducing power was elevated from 2.30 mg/g for AKM to 28.8 mg/g for MA4 and to 39.9 mg/g for MSA₄. The inclusion of moringa leaf powder (with or without soybean flour) was able to significantly increase the antioxidant activity of akamu, thus enhancing its functional status.

Keywords: Moringa leaf powder, soybean flour, phytochemicals, antioxidant activity