Elaboración y caracterización de un té mediante el uso de hojas de moringa (moringa oleífera).

Abstract

This research work was carried out in the Province of Bolivar, Canton Guaranda, Parish Salinas, and in the laboratories of food processing and microbiology of the Facultad de CienciasPecuarias de la Escuela Superior Politecnica de Chimborazo. For the development of this research, 7 kg of moringa leaf was used, which were dehydrated in three different temperatures 35 °C, 45 °C and 55 °C;crushed and packaged. The amino acid profile of the moringa leaves was then characterized and determined. The experimental results were subjected to the following statistical analyses: Variance analysis (ADEVA), average separation by Tukey (P< 0,01 and P < 0,05), and sensory test. Experimental results showed that the amino acids evaluated (histadine, threonine, alanine, valine, methionine, lysine, isoleucine, leucine and phenylalanine), showed no significant differences (P < 0,01) due to the treatments used. In contrast, when assessing the final weight of samples with three different dehydration temperatures, highly significant differences were reported (P < 0,01) with a higher final 142, 60 g, raising the temperature to 55 °C; the loss of water was greater 293,60 g when dehydrating the sample at 35 °C and finally the dehydration time was greater 20,60 hours when using a temperature of 35 °C. Moringa leaf tea in general terms obtained a good sensory acceptance in the parameters color, taste, smell and aroma. Microbiological analysis allows to conclude that the sample by raising the dehydration temperature to 35 °C does not meet the parameters required by INEN 2381: 2005, on the contrary, the dehydrated sample at 45 °C and 55 °C is within the acceptable range of the standard and is fit for human consumption. It is recommended to use the drying temperature at 55 °C in the leaves of moringa for the elaboration of tea, since it presented the best parameters (final weight, dehydration time) and the greatest amount of essential amino acids.