Comparison of the Chemical and Technological Characteristics of Wholemeal Flours Obtained from Amaranth (Amaranthus sp.), Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) and Buckwheat (Fagopyrum sp.) Seeds.

Phara De Bock,Lotte Selis,Mia Eeckhout,Katleen Raes,Pieter Vermeir,Lori Daelemans,Filip Van Bockstaele

doi:10.3390/foods10030651

Abstract

A sound fundamental knowledge of the seed and flour characteristics of pseudocereals is crucial to be able to promote their industrial use. As a first step towards a more efficient and successful application, this study focuses on the seed characteristics, chemical composition and technological properties of commercially available pseudocereals (amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat). The levels of starch, fat, dietary fiber and minerals were comparable for amaranth and quinoa seeds but the protein content is higher in amaranth. Due to the high amount of starch, buckwheat seeds are characterised by the lowest amounts of fat, dietary fibre and minerals. Its protein content ranged between that of amaranth and quinoa. Buckwheat seeds were larger but easily reduced in size. The lipid fraction of the pseudocereals mostly contained unsaturated fatty acids, with the highest prevalence of linoleic and oleic acid. Palmitic acid is the most abundant unsaturated fatty acid. Moreover, high levels of P, K and Mg were found in these pseudocereals. The highest phenolic content was found in buckwheat. Amaranth WMF (wholemeal flour) had a high swelling power but low shear stability. The pasting profile strongly varied among the different quinoa WMFs. Buckwheat WMFs showed high shear stability and rate of retrogradation.

Highlights

The demand for healthy foods has increased over the last years as consumers have become more aware of the relation between diet and health [1,2]
As a first step towards a more efficient and successful application, this study focuses on the seed characteristics, chemical composition and technological properties of commercially available pseudocereals
The levels of starch, fat, dietary fiber and minerals were comparable for amaranth and quinoa seeds but the protein content is higher in amaranth

Summary

Introduction

The demand for healthy foods has increased over the last years as consumers have become more aware of the relation between diet and health [1,2]. The gluten-free food market is expanding due to the higher prevalence of gluten-related disorders, such as celiac disease or gluten sensitivity Cereals, such as wheat, maize and rice, are commonly used for the production of wholegrain and/or gluten-free products but pseudocereals are promising alternatives [5,6]. From an ecological point of view, pseudocereals have better resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses than conventional cereal crops [8,9] Their cultivation is possible in regions with a harsh climate and poor soil conditions, which can help to ensure food availability in these types of regions [4,10]. The seeds are a good source of unsaturated fatty acids, dietary fibre and essential micronutrients They contain a large variety of bioactive compounds [3,8,13,14]. Several techniques of industrial processing, such as heat treatment, extrusion, roasting, or mechanical abrasion, are used to inactivate or reduce these antinutrients [16,18,19]

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Results

Conclusion