Republic of the Philippines

Calamba City School Division

Calamba City Science Integrated School
Chipeco Avenue, Barangay 3, Calamba City, Laguna

MaPoTea SAGA: Sensory Attributes and General Acceptability of

Malunggay (Moringa oleifera) Pod Tea

A Research Proposal
Presented to the faculty of Calamba City Science Integrated School

Nina Angeli C. Bordamonte

Rhian Johanna O. Dimacutac
Vaughn Niccolo G. Manguiat
Researchers

Sarah Jane M. Detruz

Research Adviser

April 2022
 Introduction

Background of the Study

Malunggay (Moringa oleifera), which is also called the miracle tree or drumstick tree, is

a plant that grows in great abundance throughout the whole year. This tree is not only popular in

the Philippines but also in different countries such as India, Ethiopia, Sudan, and substantially

more where it is utilized in the field of culinary and medicine for its taste and medicinal

properties. Malunggay is indexed as a tropical plant that can attain a length of 9 meters where it

poses a flavor like matcha which has been spiked with notes of spirulina-like blue-green algae

(Mcneilly, 2017).

The plant comprises a great variety of proteins, vitamins, and minerals which are

beneficial to the health of a person. According to Medical News Today (2020), malunggay

proposes several benefits that may help people in terms of preventing and curing diseases. One

of the most common advantages of using the malunggay plant was protecting the hair and skin. It

is tested and observed by specialists that malunggay seed in a form of oil guards the hair against

free extremists which helps thicken the hair to make it clean and neat. Malunggay also includes

protein, which helps to preserve skin cells from destruction, improves skin elasticity, and

increases its water content. Its oil involves moisturizing and detoxifying ingredients, which serve

the skin and hair (Cadman, 2020).

         One study showed that malunggay decreases the harm to the liver whereas it re-

establishes the liver chemicals in a harmed liver. It obliges to protect the liver from

antitubercular medication damage, which is antitubercular medications are a collection of

remedies used to treat tuberculosis and can speed up the healing process. Additionally, it is
affirmed that malunggay extract may further treat some stomach dysfunctions, such as

constipation and gastritis. The antibiotic and antibacterial qualities of malunggay may assist to

limit the growth of different infections, and its high vitamin B concentration aids digestion.

Furthermore, malunggay contains calcium and phosphorus which help maintain bones

that are healthy and firm. Based on Medical News Today (2020), alongside its anti-inflammatory

properties, malunggay concentrate may also assist with treating conditions like joint pain and

may likewise recuperate harmed bones. The strong antioxidants present in malunggay extract

may help prevent cardiac damage and have also been proved to promote a healthy heart, this

plant can help preserve the cardiovascular system (Cadman, 2020).

There are a lot more advantages that individuals can find in this plant, for example, it

helps in diminishing hypertension, upgrades eye wellbeing, and treats asthma and diabetes which

is the reason why malunggay is widely used in a lot of products such as oils, juices, noodles, and

many more. As the researcher goes through the inquiry, the researcher decides to make an herbal

tea with the use of malunggay pods to provide a tea that gives off an eco-friendly vibe and

satisfies the people with its aroma, appearance and texture.

On the other hand, malunggay pods, which are also considered the fruit, serve as a case

that contains the seed of the plant. It has ten (10) to sixty (60) centimeters in length and has an

earthy or greenish skin. Gleaned from Specialty Produce, malunggay pods were said to be used

for thousands of years as a medicinal herb and for its rich nutritional value where many studies

have shown that it has numerous anti-cancer properties, which prevent cancer forming tumor

cells, and anti-inflammatory along with a very high content of vitamin C, A and B as well as
calcium. Malunggay pods were proven to be edible and have a taste that can be compared to

green beans. 

The first to be observed from a product or food is the aroma and appearance where many

people try to judge the food to decide whether to eat it or not whereas after judging the food or

product, the next step is tasting where the people try to savor its taste. Three senses can be

derived from the three actions done in a process of eating the food which are the sense of see,

taste, smell, and if needed, the sense of touch and hear.  Sensory attributes like appearance, scent,

flavor, taste, and surface of food sources distinguishable by human detects, are frequently used to

assess food quality. These qualities may likewise fill in as references during the determination of

food varieties (Lyon and Lyon, 2001). The researchers utilize tangible investigation to separate

the taste, shading, and smell of the product relying upon an individual's viewpoint which will be

determined through the use of a survey.

Statement of the Problem

The researchers’ engineering goal for this study is to provide an herbal tea that is made

from a malunggay pod that tends to give various or numerous health benefits that will be

accepted by the people.

1. Is there any significant difference between the responses of the people in terms of the

tea’s aroma, appearance, and texture?

2. Will the Moringa oleifera or malunggay pods tea be accepted in general based on its

aroma, appearances, and texture?

 3. Does the smelling and observing of the tea have a significant effect on the respondent’s

rate? 

Statement of Hypotheses

Null Hypotheses:

1. There are no significant differences between the responses of the people in terms of the

tea’s aroma, appearances, and texture.

2. Moringa oleifera or malunggay pods tea was not accepted in general based on its aroma,

appearances, and texture.

3. The smelling and observing of the tea have no significant effect on the respondent’s rate.

Alternative Hypotheses:

1. There are significant differences between the responses of the people in terms of the tea’s

aroma, appearances, and texture.

2. The Moringa oleifera or malunggay pods tea was accepted in general based on its aroma,

appearances, and texture.

3. The smelling and observation of the tea have a significant effect on the respondent’s rate.
Conceptual Framework

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework

Significance of the Study

This study is beneficial to the following:

To the environment
 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency points out that 13.5% of solid wastes came

from yard trimmings. Yard trimmings or wastes include grass clippings, leaves, tree trimmings,

and other plant materials that are generated in outdoor residential settings. Making use of

malunggay or moringa pods, which are only thrown after use, can contribute to lessening solid

wastes in our environment.

To the community

Malunggay is very common in the Philippines where it is frequently used not ony in

culinary but in medicine. It contains various vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, B1, B3,

B-6, folate, ascorbic acid, calcium, antioxidants and many more to mention. Creating an herbal

tea out of malunggay pods provides plenty of health benefits that contributes to the community.

To the People

As mentioned above, malunggay pods indeed have a lot of contributions and benefits for

the health. By consuming the herbal tea, it can help people with health problems such as

diabetes, liver problems, spleen problems, joint pain and etc. Furthermore, it can also help people

with malunggay trees planted in their backyards where they would be informed about the

positive effects of its pods and use it to brew tea.

To fellow and future researchers

 This study would be beneficial or valuable to future researchers because it would help

them acquire moreknowledge and information that might help and contribute to their researches;

especially to those who wish to conduct sensory analyses and evaluations.

Scope and Delimitation

This study would focus on the general acceptability of the aroma, appearance and texture

of the Moringa oleifera or malunggay pods herbal tea. However, it does not focus on the effects

of the tea on a person’s health.

Aside from this, the researchers were advised not to conduct a taste testing whereas the

left sensory attributes to be tested are the aroma, appearance, and texture. Testing the taste of the

malunggay pod tea was prohibited because the researchers cannot be monitored or guided face-

to-face by their research adviser. 

The researchers would not be able to meet up together with their research adviser due to

the community quarantine and spreading virus. The making and experimentation would be

conducted at the respective houses of each researcher. 

Furthermore, this investigation would be done through the utilization of an online

questionnaire specifically the google forms for the participants as a survey and reference.

Especially at this time of the pandemic, the researchers should be cautious in picking the

participants that would be involved in the testing of the tea.

Definition of Terms
Aroma – Aroma is a smell usually penetrating a good or pleasant smell. In this study, the
researchers made use of aroma as a factor in the sensory analysis needed for the malunggay pod
tea.

Appearance – Appearance the way something looks. The researchers utilized the appearance of

the tea as a factor for the sensory analysis.

Eco-friendly – The things that are not harmful to our environment. In this study, the researchers

aimed to lessen solid wastes by making use of malunggay pods that are only thrown out after

use.

General Acceptability - A certain population accepting or using a product with knowing its

attributes. It is utilized in this study by creating a google form as a survey for the participants in

order to rate the sensory attributes of the malunggay pod tea.

Grinding – A way that is used to crush solids into finer pieces. Grinding was used in this study to

pulverize the pods by making it powder.

Herbal tea – A hot beverage created by putting the leaves of a plant in boiling water. An herbal

tea made of malunggay pods was the product produced in this study.

Litmus Paper - A specific type of paper used to test the acidity of a solution. A litmus paper was

used in this study to test the level of acidity of the malunggay pod tea.

Malunggay – It is also known as the miracle tree, is a plant rich in nutrients and vitamins it is

often used in cooking and medicine. The malunggay’s pod is the main ingredient used in order to

create the product of this study.

pH level – Used to define the level of acidity of a substance. The pH level of the malunggay pod

was utilized in this study to find the level of acidity of the tea.

Pods – A pod serves as a covering or case containing the seeds of a plant. The pods were the

main ingredient of the tea in this study.

Sensory Analysis - Method for analyzing and describing reactions to products that are assessed

by using the human senses. In this study, sensory analysis is used to describe the aroma,

appearance, and texture of the malunggay pod tea.

Texture – It can be described as watery, gooey, or sticky. Texture was utilized in the study as a

factor for the sensory analysis.