Within thepast 10 years,moringa oleifera, a tropical, multipurpose tree has grown from being practically unknown, even unheard of, to being a new and promising nutritional and economic resource for developing countries.The leaves, which are easy to grow and rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals, are becoming widely used to manage and treat well over 300 diseases. Producing moringa leaves is a means of generating agricultural income and developing the food processing industry in Nigeria.Tipson processing moringa leaves by Dr Armelle and Dr Mlanie Broin:Processing should start immediately after harvesting and transporting the leaves to the processing point.1. Stripping the leaflets Strip all the leaflets from the leaf petiole. This can be done directly from the branches if the leaves have not been stripped off the main branch before transportation. At this stage, diseased and damaged leaves are discarded.2. Washing Wash leaflets in troughs using clean potable water to remove dirt. Wash leaves again in 1% saline solution for three to five minutes to remove microbes. Finally wash again in clean water. Leaves are now ready for drying. Drain each trough after each wash: fresh leaves must always be washed with fresh water.3. Draining Strain water from the leaves in buckets that have been perforated, spread leaflets on trays made with food-grade mesh and leave to drain for 15 minutes before taking them to the dryer.4. Drying Room drying: Spread the leaflets thinly on mesh tied on racks (mosquito net mesh can be used) in a well-ventilated room. This room should be insect, rodent and dust proof. Air circulation can be improved by using ceiling and floor level vents protected with a clean filter to keep the sun and dust out.It is possible to use a fan, but the air must not be directly oriented towards the leaves, as it can increase contamination with germs in the air. It is advisable to turn the leaves over at least once, with sterile gloves, to improve uniform drying. Leaves should be completely dry within a maximum of 4 days. The loading density should not exceed 1 kg/m2.However, room-dried leaves cannot be guaranteed mould-free with the maximum recommended moisture content of 10 per cent.5. Milling Mill dry leaves using a stainless steel hammer mill. For personal or household use, leaves can be pounded in a mortar, or milled with a kitchen blender. Small-scale processors can use a burr mill or rent a commercial hammer mill for routine milling of their products.6. Sieving Sieve the leaf powder if need be. When you mill with a hammer mill, the fineness of the product will depend on the size of the screen used in milling. If too coarse, sift using a sifter with the desired screen size.7. Drying the leaf powder Moringa leaf powder strongly attracts moisture and the product can reabsorb humidity during or after milling. For this reason, moringa leaf powder should be dried at 50C for 30 minutes to reduce moisture content considerably below 7.5 per cent. Moringa leaf powder can easily be contaminated by moulds as it strongly attracts moisture.1. Personal hygiene All persons involved in the packaging of moringa leaf products must ensure that, while on duty, personal cleanliness and hygiene are maintained. Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as head caps, nose masks, disposable gloves, etc. must be used at all times.2. Packaging in bulk The temperature and humidity must be controlled in the packaging room, to avoid rehumidification of the product. After drying, the powder is left to cool and packed into clean, single-use polythene bags and sealed.This is enclosed in a second polythene bag and heat-sealed. This is to maintain freshness and dryness prior to further use. The bags should be stored in a cool, dry place.3. Final packaging The temperature and humidity must be controlled in the packaging room, to avoid rehumidification of the product. Moringa leaf products should be packaged in clean, dry and opaque containers made of materials that do not affect the quality of the product.Each package must be properly sealed to prevent content leakage as well as moisture absorption.
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