Mixed sorghum and quinoa flour improves protein quality and increases antioxidant capacity in vivo

Abstract

Quinoa is a pseudocereal that has high protein quality and sorghum has phenolic compounds that give it a higher antioxidant capacity, however, its protein quality is low. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of the obtaining mixture of sorghum and quinoa flours on protein quality and antioxidant capacity in Wistar rats. The animals were allocated into five groups (n = 8): protein-free, control (casein) and experimental groups: sorghum flour, quinoa flour, and mixed sorghum/quinoa flour. At 21 days of the experiment, animals from the control and experimental groups received sodium fluoride (NaF) water for seven days to induce oxidative stress. The groups fed with sorghum, quinoa, and mixed flour sorghum/quinoa had, respectively, PER values of 0.23, 2.0, 1.5; NPR 1.82, 3.36, 2.88 and TD 60.22, 81.46, 66.82 and weight gain 1.75, 20.84 and 15.92. The total antioxidant capacity of serum increased in sorghum and mixed sorghum/quinoa flour groups, probably due to the higher amount of phenolic compounds. There was no change in the activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, and the biomarker malondialdehyde. Thus, the mixed flour of sorghum/quinoa is an excellent alternative for the elaboration of products with better protein quality and high antioxidant capacity.