Moringa Proteins: Nutrition, Functionality, and Applications

Moringa oleifera has emerged as an excellent source of plant-based proteins. The Moringa plant is hardy and can thrive in a wide range of climate and soil conditions. The nutritional and antinutritional contents and functionality are greatly affected by processing. Moringa seeds and leaves are rich in fat, protein, minerals, and vitamins, and therefore are a valuable source of nutrition for the growing population and the malnourished. Moringa seed protein isolates are a complete protein, with higher content of essential amino acids than several animal and plant sources except for lysine and methionine. Albumin and globulins are two predominant protein fractions present in Moringa seeds. Moringa proteins exhibit promising functional properties and have been widely used in food applications, water purification, and animal feed. The presence of antinutrients, off-tastes, and allergenicity are key issues to be addressed to expand the utilization of Moringa proteins in various nutritional supplements and functional foods.