{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]],"date-time":"2026-10-14T12:57:09Z","timestamp":1791982629631,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"20","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1760140800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Department of Science and Innovation, Pretoria","award":["DSI-IKS DSI\/CON C2235\/2021"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["DSI-IKS DSI\/CON C2235\/2021"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Moringa oleifera, renowned for its medicinal potency, was investigated to discern the impact of varying storage temperatures (4 \u00b0C, 25 \u00b0C, 40 \u00b0C) and light conditions (dark and light) on the quality attributes of its leaf powder during a 12-month storage period. The study encompassed comprehensive analyses of phytochemical levels, nutritional properties, microbial contamination, and colour changes in response to these diverse storage environments. The lightness L* colour value changed significantly (40 to 60) from baseline tests when stored at 40 \u00b0C in transparent packaging. Results highlighted distinct variations in phytochemical composition and nutritional content based on the interplay between temperature and light conditions. Lower temperatures, particularly 4 \u00b0C, in both dark and light environments, demonstrated superior preservation of bioactive compounds, with mean values for quercetin-3-rutinoside of 3.34 \u00b5g\/g and 3.19 \u00b5g\/g, respectively; both are significantly higher compared to other treatments (p &lt; 0.05). This trend was also observed for rutin, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin. Conversely, higher temperatures (25 \u00b0C, 40 \u00b0C) coupled with light exposure hastened degradation, notably impacting phytochemical stability. Microbial proliferation was evident in elevated temperatures, indicating potential safety risks. Further observations unveiled significant colour changes within the leaf powder, notably influenced by storage temperatures and light exposure. Lower temperatures exhibited diminished colour alterations compared to higher temperatures, underscoring their impact on product quality. This study underscores the critical role of controlled storage conditions, especially cooler temperatures and reduced light exposure, in maintaining the potency and quality of M. oleifera leaf powder. Recommendations advocate for stringent temperature control (preferably 4 \u00b0C) and light shielding during storage to uphold phytochemical stability and mitigate microbial proliferation. While this study provides valuable insights into temperature-mediated alterations, future research avenues should delve deeper into elucidating the underlying mechanisms of colour changes and long-term temperature effects on phytochemical and nutritional integrity.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules30204048","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,15]],"date-time":"2025-10-15T06:06:32Z","timestamp":1760508392000},"page":"4048","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Different Temperature Storage Conditions and Packaging Types Affects Colour Parameters, Amino Acid Composition, Microbial Contamination, and Key Bioactive Molecules of Moringa oleifera Lam. Powder"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"30","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7290-3175","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ashwell R.","family":"Ndhlala","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida 1710, South Africa"},{"name":"Green Biotechnologies Research Centre of Excellence, School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga 0727, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gladness T.","family":"Ngobeni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida 1710, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9724-4092","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rofhiwa","family":"Mulaudzi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida 1710, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sogolo L.","family":"Lebelo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida 1710, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Schippmann, U., Leaman, D.J., and Cunningham, A.B. (2002). Impact of cultivation and gathering of medicinal plants on biodiversity: Global trends and issues. Biodiversity and the Ecosystem Approach in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, FAO."},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"229","article-title":"Harvesting and post-harvest processing of medicinal plants: Problems and prospects","volume":"6","author":"Pandey","year":"2017","journal-title":"Pharma Innov. J."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"359","DOI":"10.1186\/s12936-025-05359-w","article-title":"Investing in traditional medicine: Leveraging evidence and innovative research to strengthen the fight against malaria in Nigeria","volume":"24","author":"Onukansi","year":"2025","journal-title":"Malar. J."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ekor, M. (2014). The growing use of herbal medicines: Issues relating to adverse reactions and challenges in monitoring safety. Front. Pharmacol., 4.","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2013.00177"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lim, T.K. (2012). Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-94-007-2534-8"},{"key":"ref_6","first-page":"1","article-title":"Processing of Moringa oleifera leaves for human consumption","volume":"2","author":"Mishra","year":"2012","journal-title":"Bull. Environ. Pharmacol. Life Sci."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dania, S.O., Akpansubi, P., and Eghagara, O.O. (2014). Comparative effects of different fertilizer sources on the growth and nutrient content of moringa (Moringa oleifera) seedling in a greenhouse trial. Adv. Agric., 726313.","DOI":"10.1155\/2014\/726313"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Abdelazim, S.M., Hassan, M.A., El-Sayed, A.M., and Al-Ghamdi, S.A. (2024). Moringa oleifera: Recent insights for its biochemical and medicinal applications. J. Food Biochem., 48.","DOI":"10.1155\/2024\/1270903"},{"key":"ref_9","first-page":"1","article-title":"Moringa oleifera: A review of the medical evidence for its nutritional, therapeutic and prophylactic properties","volume":"1","author":"Fahey","year":"2005","journal-title":"Trees Life J."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ndhlala, A.R., and Tshabalala, T. (2023). Diversity in the Nutritional Values of Some Moringa oleifera Lam. Cultivars. Divers., 15.","DOI":"10.20944\/preprints202304.0497.v2"},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"Grubben, G.J.H., and Denton, O.A. (2004). Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables, CTA."},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"Doerr, B., Cameron, L., and Moringa Leaf Powder (2024, May 26). ECHO Technical Note #51. Available online: https:\/\/www.echocommunity.org\/en\/resources\/."},{"key":"ref_13","unstructured":"Mensah, M. (2011). Effect of Different Packaging Materials on the Quality and Shelf Life of Moringa oleifera Leaf Powder During Storage. [Master\u2019s Thesis, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology]."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kayembe, J., Sekelwa, C., and Bassey, K. (2025). Comparative analysis of phytonutrients of Moringa oleifera leaves from South Africa and Nigeria, and their antimicrobial and antioxidant potentials by UPLC-ESI-QToF-MS and OPLS-DA chemometric analysis. Front. Nutr., 11.","DOI":"10.3389\/fnut.2024.1490484"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"373","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tifs.2007.03.011","article-title":"Extending and measuring the quality of fresh-cut fruit and vegetables: A review","volume":"18","author":"Rico","year":"2007","journal-title":"Trends Food Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Peter, K.V. (2006). Handbook of Herbs and Spices, CRC Press.","DOI":"10.1533\/9781845691717"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1569","DOI":"10.1111\/ijfs.12126","article-title":"Changes in sensory quality and aroma volatile composition during prolonged storage of \u2018Wonderful\u2019 pomegranate fruit","volume":"48","author":"Daus","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int. J. Food Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"239","DOI":"10.1007\/s13197-011-0352-x","article-title":"Effect of light, packaging condition and dark storage durations on colour and lipid oxidative stability of cooked ham","volume":"50","author":"Haile","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Food Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"126699","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodchem.2020.126699","article-title":"Interaction effect of LED colour temperatures and light-protective additive packaging on photo-oxidation in milk displayed in retail dairy case","volume":"323","author":"Wang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Food Chem."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4405","DOI":"10.1007\/s13197-017-2917-9","article-title":"Effect of packaging types and storage conditions on quality aspects of dried Thunbergia laurifolia leaves and degradation kinetics of bioactive compounds","volume":"54","author":"Phahom","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Food Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"012074","DOI":"10.1088\/1755-1315\/1038\/1\/012074","article-title":"Effect of Harvest and Postharvest Handling on Quality of Moringa Leaf Powder","volume":"1038","author":"Krah","year":"2022","journal-title":"IOP Conf. Ser. Earth Environ. Sci."},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"Meyer, L.H. (1973). Food Chemistry, Affiliated East-West Press Pvt Ltd."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1687","DOI":"10.63369\/ijat.2025.21.5.1687-1702","article-title":"Production of chlorophyll-rich powder from Moringa oleifera leaves using dehumidification and intermittent drying: Impact on drying characteristics and chlorophyll retention","volume":"21","author":"Djaeni","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int. J. Agric. Technol."},{"key":"ref_24","first-page":"030007","article-title":"Color change and chlorophyll degradation during fluidized bed drying of Moringa oleifera leaves","volume":"2871","author":"Hasizah","year":"2023","journal-title":"AIP Conf. Proc."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3556","DOI":"10.1007\/s13197-020-04387-5","article-title":"Effect of storage temperatures, packaging materials and storage periods on antioxidant activity and non-enzymatic browning of antioxidant treated walnut kernels","volume":"57","author":"Ahad","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Food Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109614","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lwt.2020.109614","article-title":"Physicochemical changes in the discoloration of dried green tea noodles caused by polyphenol oxidase from wheat flour","volume":"130","author":"Yu","year":"2020","journal-title":"LWT"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"\u0160op\u00edk, T., Laz\u00e1rkov\u00e1, Z., Salek, R.N., Tal\u00e1r, J., Purevdorj, K., Bu\u0148kov\u00e1, L., Foltin, P., Jan\u010dov\u00e1, P., Novotn\u00fd, M., and G\u00e1l, R. (2022). Changes in the quality attributes of selected long-life food at four different temperatures over prolonged storage. Foods, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/foods11142004"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"\u00d6stbring, K., Sj\u00f6holm, I., Rayner, M., and Erlanson-Albertsson, C. (2020). Effects of storage conditions on degradation of chlorophyll and emulsifying capacity of thylakoid powders produced by different drying methods. Foods, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/foods9050669"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Schnellbaecher, A., Lindig, A., Le Mignon, M., Hofmann, T., Pardon, B., Bellmaine, S., and Zimmer, A. (2021). Degradation products of tryptophan in cell culture media: Contribution to color and toxicity. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 22.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms22126221"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Andr\u00e9s, C.M.C., P\u00e9rez de la Lastra, J.M., Andr\u00e9s Juan, C., Plou, F.J., and P\u00e9rez-Lebe\u00f1a, E. (2022). Impact of reactive species on amino acids\u2014Biological relevance in proteins and induced pathologies. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 23.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms232214049"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drup.2017.07.003","article-title":"Can microbial cells develop resistance to oxidative stress in antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation?","volume":"31","author":"Kashef","year":"2017","journal-title":"Drug Resist. Updat."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sajb.2019.01.029","article-title":"Potential substitution of the root with the leaf in the use of Moringa oleifera for antimicrobial, antidiabetic and antioxidant properties","volume":"129","author":"Tshabalala","year":"2020","journal-title":"S. Afr. J. Bot."},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"Olorode, O., Bamgbose, A., and Raji, O. (2015, January 1\u20133). Effect of blanching and packaging material on the colour and microbial load of ben oil (Moringa oleifera) leaf powder. Proceedings of the Outlook 2015 World Association for Sustainable Development Conference Proceedings, Istanbul, Turkey."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1224","DOI":"10.1111\/ijfs.12744","article-title":"Changes during storage of dried Moringa oleifera leaves prepared by heat pump-assisted dehumidified air drying","volume":"50","author":"Potisate","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. J. Food Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1261","DOI":"10.1007\/s10068-020-00772-0","article-title":"Effect of storage temperature on the antioxidant activity and catechins stability of Matcha (Camellia sinensis)","volume":"29","author":"Kim","year":"2020","journal-title":"Food Sci. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_36","first-page":"1","article-title":"Stability evaluation and degradation kinetics of rutin in Ficus pumila leaves formulated with oil extracted from Moringa oleifera seeds","volume":"3","author":"Donkor","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Anal. Pharm. Res."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.1016\/j.indcrop.2018.03.028","article-title":"Moringa Infusion (Moringa oleifera) Rich in Phenolic Compounds and High Antioxidant Capacity Attenuate Nitric Oxide Pro-Inflammatory Mediator In Vitro","volume":"118","year":"2018","journal-title":"Ind. Crops Prod."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jphotochem.2016.12.027","article-title":"The Photostability of Flavanones, Flavonols and Flavones and Evolution of Their Antioxidant Activity","volume":"336","author":"Chaaban","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Photochem. Photobiol. A Chem."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Managa, M.G., Remize, F., Garcia, C., and Sivakumar, D. (2019). Effect of Moist Cooking Blanching on Colour, Phenolic Metabolites and Glucosinolate Content in Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa L. subsp. chinensis). Foods, 8.","DOI":"10.3390\/foods8090399"}],"container-title":["Molecules"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/30\/20\/4048\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,15]],"date-time":"2025-10-15T06:07:10Z","timestamp":1760508430000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/30\/20\/4048"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"20","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10]]}},"alternative-id":["molecules30204048"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/molecules30204048","relation":{},"ISSN":["1420-3049"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1420-3049","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]]}}}