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Lepidium meyenii (Brassicaceae) and Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae) as superfood: Glucosinolates and oxidative stability

Glucosinolates are secondary plant metabolites found in 16 families of the Brassicales order, including plants from the Brassicaceae and Moringaceae families. Volatile compounds formed by thermal, enzymatic, or chemical degradation of glucosinolates are known for their biological activity, especially the isothiocyanates. Two plants, considered as superfood for their high phytonutrient contents, were investigated: maca (Lepidium meyenii) and moringa (Moringa oleifera). Glucosinolates, as compounds characteristic for these two plants, were determined by an indirect method, using their degradation products. The volatile isolates collected by various methods of hydrodistillation and extraction, were analysed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The main compounds found in L. meyenii were phenylacetonitrile and benzyl-isothiocyanate (degradation products of glucotropaeolin), and 3-methoxyphenylacetonitrile (degradation product of glucolimnanthin). No degradation products were found using GC-MS analysis of the M. oleifera volatile isolates, but the FTIR analysis confirmed their presence. Oxidation processes are a widespread problem in the food industry. These days, the popularity of adding various plants or herbs to oils, in order to aromatize them or prolong their shelf life, is growing. Therefore, the effect of the investigated plants' powdered samples on the oxidation stability of fish oil was studied using the Rancimat apparatus.

glucosinolates ; oil oxidation ; GC-MS ; FTIR ; Rancimat

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