Moringa oleifera Seed Oil: Composition, Functional Applications and By-product Valorisation — A Review

Abstract

Moringa oleifera Lam. seed kernels contain 35–42% oil. Moringa oleifera oil (MOO) combines three features rarely found together in one vegetable oil: 72–80% oleic acid, 5–7% behenic acid, and less than 5% polyunsaturated fatty acids. The result is an oil with very high oxidative and frying stability, and virgin oil of good quality needs no refining. Despite this profile, MOO remains commercially marginal. This review is oil-specific rather than a whole-plant survey. It grades each health and application claim by evidence type (analytical, animal or human) and covers 2024–2026 composition, digestion and clinical-umbrella data. It synthesises evidence on MOO physicochemistry, fatty acid and triacylglycerol composition, minor bioactives, extraction, modification, stability, safety and applications in food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. It also identifies an overlooked valorisation route. Refining crude MOO generates a fatty acid distillate (MFAD) that, unlike palm fatty acid distillate, should be oleic-dominant, and its esterification could yield methyl oleate-rich esters for flavour-related uses. The main barriers to wider use are the absence of human trials using the oil itself, the lack of codified quality standards, and immature seed supply chains, particularly in India, the largest Moringa producer.