Quinoa Grains Research Articles

The Heating Under Micro Variable Pressure (HUMVP) Process to Decrease the Level of Saponin in Quinoa: Evidence of the Antioxidation and the Inhibitory Activity of α-Amylase and α-Glucosidase

To reduce the level of saponin while preserving essential nutrients and antioxidative properties in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), this study delves into the optimization of the HUMVP process and thoroughly examines its effects on antioxidation as well as its inhibitory influence on α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The optimal HUMVP conditions involved wetting quinoa grains with 6% water (pH = 6.0) and subjecting them to a 4 min treatment under 0.35 MPa pressure. The values of •OH, DPPH, and ABTS•+ scavenging rate of the extracts from the quinoa sample (named Q2HUMVP) treated under the optimum HUMVP process were 70.02, 87.13, and 50.95%, respectively. Furthermore, the treatment preserved 95.20% of polyphenols and 73.06% of flavonoids, while the saponin content was reduced to 23.13% of that in raw quinoa. Notably, Q2HUMVP extracts demonstrated superior inhibitory activity against α-amylase and α-glucosidase compared to dehulled quinoa samples. The inhibition exhibited by the quinoa sample extracts on α-amylase and α-glucosidase was found to be reversible.

Exploring geographic variations in quinoa grains: Unveiling anti-Alzheimer activity via GC–MS, LC-QTOF-MS/MS, molecular networking, and chemometric analysis

Exploring geographic variations in quinoa grains: Unveiling anti-Alzheimer activity via GC–MS, LC-QTOF-MS/MS, molecular networking, and chemometric analysis

Using ethanol as pretreatment for improving drying of germinated quinoa grains

The present work aimed to evaluate the effect of ethanol pretreatment on the drying kinetics of germinated quinoa grains and on its enzymatic activity. For that, quinoa grains were germinated for 12 and 24 h and then soaked for 30 and 60 s in ethanol (99% v/v) before drying. Afterward, they were dried in a convective air oven at 50 °C and 0.2 m/s of air velocity. In addition, desorption isotherms and enzymatic activity were evaluated. Further, the drying kinetics was fitted using Page and Fick models and desorption isotherms were fitted to GAB model. As main results, using ethanol as pretreatment increased the drying's initial velocity of ungerminated and germinated grains, reducing the drying time if the final moisture goal is between 10 and 15 %w.b. However, this improvement was not different comparing the immersion time in ethanol (30 s and 60 s). On the other hand, the isotherm behavior was not statistically different comparing ungerminated and germinated grains. Nevertheless, germinated grains by 12 h and pretreated with ethanol for 30 s increased the monolayer moisture up to 76%. Regarding enzymatic activity, germinated grains for 12 h showed the highest enzymatic activity. However, the use of ethanol caused its reduction.

QPH-FR: A Novel Quinoa Peptide Enhances Chemosensitivity by Targeting Leucine-Rich Repeat-Containing G Protein-Coupled Receptor 5 in Colorectal Cancer.

Chemoresistance is one of the difficulties in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), and the enhanced stemness of tumor cells is the underlying contributing factor. Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5) is a classical marker of CRC stem cells and can be an important potential target for CRC chemotherapy. Quinoa, a protein-rich plant, offers potential as a source of high-quality active peptides. Novelly, the study obtained quinoa protein hydrolysate (QPH) from whole quinoa grains by simulated digestion. In vivo experiments revealed that the tumor volume in the 5-FU+QPH group decreased from 145.90 ± 13.35 to 94.49 ± 13.05 mm3 in the 5-FU group, suggesting that QPH enhances the chemosensitivity of CRC. Further, the most effective peptide QPH-FR from 631 peptides in QPH was screened by activity prediction, molecular docking, and experimental validation. Mechanistically, QPH-FR competitively suppressed the formation of the LGR5/RSPO1 complex by binding to LGR5, causing RNF43/ZNRF3 to ubiquitinate the FZD receptor, thereby suppressing the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and exerting stemness inhibition. In summary, the study proposes that a novel peptide QPH-FR from quinoa elucidates the mechanism by which QPH-FR targets LGR5 to enhance chemosensitivity, providing theoretical support for the development of chemotherapeutic adjuvant drugs based on plant peptides.

Effects of Nitrogen Accumulation, Transportation, and Grain Nutritional Quality and Advances in Fungal Endophyte Research in Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Plants.

This study aims to understand the influence of nitrogen accumulation, fungal endophyte, yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and grain nutritional quality parameters on the yield of quinoa in some areas of China. The endophytic microbial community in plants plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, and health, especially in quinoa plants under different nitrogen fertilizer levels. The results from the present study indicated that appropriate nitrogen application significantly enhanced the nitrogen accumulation and yield of quinoa grains during maturity, increasing by 34.54-42.18% and 14.59-30.71%, respectively. Concurrently, protein content, amylose, total starch, ash, and fat content also increased, with respective growth rates of 1.15-18.18%, 30.74-42.53%, 6.40-12.40%, 1.94-21.94%, and 5.32-22.22%. Our constructed interaction network of bacterial and fungal communities revealed that bacteria outnumbered fungi significantly, and most of them exhibited synergistic interactions. The moderate increase in N150 was beneficial for increasing quinoa yield, achieving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of over 20%. The N210 was increased, and both the yield and NUE significantly decreased. This study provides novel insights into the impact of nitrogen fertilizer on quinoa growth and microbial communities, which are crucial for achieving agricultural sustainable development.

Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Combined with Chemometrics for Protein Profiling and Classification of Boiled and Extruded Quinoa from Conventional and Organic Crops

Quinoa is an Andean crop that stands out as a high-quality protein-rich and gluten-free food. However, its increasing popularity exposes quinoa products to the potential risk of adulteration with cheaper cereals. Consequently, there is a need for novel methodologies to accurately characterize the composition of quinoa, which is influenced not only by the variety type but also by the farming and processing conditions. In this study, we present a rapid and straightforward method based on matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) to generate global fingerprints of quinoa proteins from white quinoa varieties, which were cultivated under conventional and organic farming and processed through boiling and extrusion. The mass spectra of the different protein extracts were processed using the MALDIquant software (version 1.19.3), detecting 49 proteins (with 31 tentatively identified). Intensity values from these proteins were then considered protein fingerprints for multivariate data analysis. Our results revealed reliable partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) classification models for distinguishing between farming and processing conditions, and the detected proteins that were critical for differentiation. They confirm the effectiveness of tracing the agricultural origins and technological treatments of quinoa grains through protein fingerprinting by MALDI-TOF-MS and chemometrics. This untargeted approach offers promising applications in food control and the food-processing industry.

Protein-starch interaction plays a key role in controlling starch digestion and postprandial glucose increases for moderately milled quinoa grains

Whole grains were reported to exhibit positive effects on management of T2DM. However, the components of whole grains are complex. To clarify which factor played a key role in reducing starch digestion and postprandial glucose increase, quinoa grains with different milling time (MT-0s, 20s, 40s, 80s) were used. As the MT increased, starch digested ratio in vitro and postprandial glucose in vivo increased. Different factors that contributed to this result were further investigated. For starch itself, damaged starch increased from 6.20% in MT-0s to 9.13% in MT-80s. During in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, a maximum of 13.05 mg/g polyphenols were released from quinoa, which was not able to inhibit the activity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase to decrease starch digestion. Besides, the starch digested ratio increased in MT-0s, 20s and 40s as the amount of added trypsin increased, indicating that protein-starch interaction was important for starch digestion. This was also observed in CLSM images. Spearman correlation analysis confirmed that protein content strongly correlated with starch digested ratio compared with other factors. Our results would provide guidance for food processing industry to produce low GI food products.

Effects of Latilactobacillus delbrueckii fermentation on the bioconversion and antioxidant capacity of phenolic compounds in quinoa sprouts

Polyphenols, serving as a significant active ingredient, exert a crucial role in the antioxidant effect of quinoa. Nevertheless, the preponderance of research has predominantly centered on quinoa grains, with a conspicuous scarcity of studies dedicated to quinoa sprouts. In this study, quinoa sprouts were used as substrate, and Latilactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus was employed as the fermentation agent. The fermentation parameters of quinoa sprouts were meticulously optimized using a combination of single-factor experiments and response surface analysis, successfully leading to the enrichment of polyphenols. A noteworthy elevation in the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were observed after fermentation, with increments of 46.56% and 57.28%, respectively. Additionally, a statistically significant (P < 0.05) augmentation in antioxidant activity was demonstrated, as measured by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, 2,2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) scavenging activity, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and reducing power. To gain further insights, metabolomics analysis was conducted, revealing the identity and quantity of active compounds present in the fermented quinoa sprouts broth. Notably, a marked increase in flavonoids like luteolin and quercetin was evident, whereas a substantial reduction in the levels of certain polyphenols, such as dihydrowogonin and quercetin 3-O-xylosyl-rutinoside, was observed after fermentation. The activities of five key enzymes were quantitatively assayed within the metabolic pathway of polyphenols, revealing significant variations. This comprehensive analysis provides a clearer understanding of the metabolic mechanisms underlying the bioconversion of polyphenols during the fermentation process.

Analysis of quinoa roller millstreams: Physical, chemical, and functional properties

The objective of present study is to assess the performance of roller milling on quinoa grains, aiming to produce distinct mill stream fractions from perisperm and evaluate its composition and functionalities. During the roller milling process, quinoa yielded three break and three reduction flour streams, as well as coarse bran, fine bran, and germ. Among flour streams, C1 accounted for 49.61% while C2 represented 23.62% of total straight run flour (SRF). Notably, quinoa flour streams exhibited brighter colour and finer granulation similar to wheat flour. Content of ash, protein, and fat increased with successive break flour streams (B1 to B3), displaying a similar trend for reduction flour streams (C1 to C3). Starch damage was higher for last reduction flour streams. Roller milling of quinoa resulted in distinct flour streams from the perisperm, showing physical properties similar to wheat flour. These mill streams varied in yield, nutritional properties, and flour functionalities.

Agro-nutritionnel Characterisation of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa, Willd.)

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) originated in the Andean region of South America; is a dicotyledonous species for seeds and, therefore, is not known as a cereal grain and is a pseudograin, which is introduced nowadays as a new crop in the world. Quinoa is an annual herbaceous plant belongs to Amaranthaceae family, but formerly placed in Chenopodiaceae family. It’s well adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions and has significant potential for increased production as a new crop in the Mediterranean region and in other parts of the world, including northern Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa. Quinoa is associated with exceptional grain nutritional quality and is highly valued for its ability to tolerate abiotic stresses. The protein content of quinoa grains is higher than other cereals while it has better distribution of essential amino acids. It can be used as an alternative to milk proteins. Additionally, quinoa contains a high amount of essential fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, dietary fibers, and carbohydrates with beneficial hypoglycemic effects while being gluten-free. e. In addition, it is found to contain a number of bioactive chemical compounds whose various therapeutic properties are actively studied in the scientific field. Quinoa is sought in several industries whether it is the food industry, pharmacology, cosmetics, etc., as a plant (use of leaves, seeds, or stem) or these extracts (saponins, vegetable oil and essential).

Integration of transcriptome and metabolome reveals the accumulation of related metabolites and gene regulation networks during quinoa seed development.

Quinoa seeds are gluten- and cholesterol-free, contain all amino acids required by the human body, have a high protein content, provide endocrine regulation, protein supplementation, and cardiovascular protection effects. However, metabolite accumulation and transcriptional regulatory networks in quinoa seed development are not well understood. Four key stages of seed development in Dianli-3260 and Dianli-557 were thus analyzed and 849 metabolites were identified, among which sugars, amino acids, and lipids were key for developmental processes, and their accumulation showed a gradual decrease. Transcriptome analysis identified 40,345 genes, of which 20,917 were differential between the M and F phases, including 8279 and 12,638 up- and down-regulated genes, respectively. Grain development processes were mainly enriched in galactose metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, the biosynthesis of amino acids, and carbon metabolism pathways, in which raffinose, phosphoenolpyruvate, series and other metabolites are significantly enriched, gene-LOC110689372, Gene-LOC110710556 and gene-LOC110714584 are significantly expressed, and these metabolites and genes play an important role in carbohydrate metabolism, lipid and Amino acid synthesis of quinoa. This study provides a theoretical basis to expand our understanding of the molecular and metabolic development of quinoa grains.

Effect of ultrasound treatment on the composition and emulsifying properties of quinoa okara

SummaryHigh‐intensity ultrasound (HIUS) treatment is a physical method utilised to modify and improve some technologically important compounds (such as protein, fibres) that serves as an environment‐friendly process. In this regard, the effect of HIUS on the composition and emulsifying properties of quinoa okara fractions was analysed. Dispersions (1:10) of ground quinoa grains alkalinised to pH 9.0 were treated by high‐intensity ultrasound. Quinoa okara and sonicated quinoa okara (SQOK) exhibited a similar extraction yield (60%), although SQOK showed a three‐fold increase in protein content. Scanning electron microscopy showed that HIUS reduced the particle size of okara molecular structures. Analysis of O/W emulsions formulated with the okara samples demonstrated that the SQOK had a smaller droplet size and increased the stability of the system against the destabilisation processes of creaming and coalescence. The quinoa okara optimised with the application of the clean ultrasound technology allows adding value to a by‐product with potential applications as a food emulsifier. Quinoa okara could be used as an innovative additive for application in the emerging plant‐based food market.

Physiological and biochemical in vivo study of polyphenols and 20-hydroxyecdisone from quinoa grains effect on resistance to physical exercise in Wistar rats

Increasing the ability of the human body to adapt to physical stress is relevant from the standpoint of using foods for special uses containing functional food ingredients (FFI) with effectiveness proven in vivo. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of FFI from Chenopodium quinoa grains with a high content of polyphenols and phytoecdysteroids on the physical endurance of male Wistar rats. Material and methods. The experiment was carried out during 36 days using 50 weaned male Wistar rats. The animals were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=12): Control, Run and Run-FFI. Rats of the Control and Run groups received a standard semisynthetic diet during the experiment. Rats of the Run-FFI group received a semi-synthetic diet with the addition of FFI in an amount of 0.055±0.003%, containing phytoecdysteroids (50.4±0.6 mg/g) and polyphenols (212.0±2.0 mg/g). During the experiment, the rats were assessed for their neuromotor function (grip strength of front paws), memory, and behavioral reactions in the "Elevated Plus Maze" (EPM), "Conditioned Passive Avoidance Reflex" (CPAR) and "Open Field" (OF) tests. Once a week, animals from the Run and Run-FFI groups were subjected to moderate physical load on a "Treadmill". On the 36th day of the experiment, the animals of these groups were subjected to exhausting physical load. Immediately after running, the animals were placed in metabolic cages to collect daily urine. At the end of the experiment, the content of corticosterone, the activity of catalase, indicators of protein, lipid and mineral metabolism, indexes of the liver functional state and antioxidant defense system parameters were analyzed in the blood serum; the level of prostaglandin E2 and dopamine were determined in daily urine. Results. Physiological tests (CRAR, OF) showed that weekly exercise increased anxiety in laboratory animals. The FFI introduction into the diet led to normalization of the assessed parameters (EPM). As a result of 36-day consumption of FFI against the background of physical loads, a significant decrease by 22% in the main stress marker, corticosterone, was revealed in the blood of rats, as well as significant increase by 23% in the stress inhibitor - prostaglandin E2 urinary excretion, compared with animals of the Run group to the level not differed from the indicators of the control animals. There were no differences in endurance performance between the Run and Run-FFI groups on the results of the exhaustive exercise. Consumption of FFI prevented the formation of excess ammonia, significantly reducing the level of urea in the blood and normalizing its excretion to control levels in the urine, which was increased in the Run group by 19%. Conclusion. The results obtained demonstrated the adaptogenic properties of the developed FFI in response to stress caused by weekly moderate and acute exhaustive physical activity. The obtained data on the biological effect of the developed FPI on the adaptive potential of laboratory animals will serve as an experimental basis for its inclusion in the composition of specialized foods.

Efficiency evaluation of innovative herbal compositions with inulin

This work examines the issues of obtaining compositions with adaptogenic and prebiotic effects, quality control, as well as assessment of their biological effects. Inulin was analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC with refractometric detection. In vivo studies were performed using 50 male Wistar rats, 6 weeks old, with an initial body weight of 158 ± 3 g. To study the intestinal microbiota, DNA was extracted using the DNA-Sorb-S kit. As a result, compositions have been developed that include functional food ingredients based on spinach leaves and quinoa grains, containing at least 96.0% inulin. The established beneficial effect of adaptogenic compositions with inulin on the intestinal microbiota opens up the potential for their use to maintain the optimal composition of the intestinal microbiota.

Flours from fermented lentil and quinoa grains as ingredients with new techno-functional properties

The need to provide novel, nutritious plant-based products requires seeking high-value, sustainable protein sources, like quinoa and lentils, having an increased digestibility and lacking antinutrients. Fungal fermentation has evidenced enhanced nutritional value of flours obtained from these grains. However, research into techno-functional properties, essential to the new product development, is lacking. This study investigated the techno-functional properties of flours made from lentil and quinoa after fermenting them with Pleurotus ostreatus and subjecting them to two drying techniques (lyophilisation and hot air drying). In both cases, the fermentation led to noteworthy improvements in swelling and water holding capacity, especially in those lyophilised than those dried. In contrast, the emulsifying, foaming, thickening, and gelling capacities decreased significantly. The loss of abilities was more severe for dried grains than for lyophilized ones. The thermomechanical analysis of the fermented flours showed lower thickening and gelling potential compared to untreated flours. Microscopy images revealed that the state and structure of starch granules were affected by both fermentation and drying processes. Starch granules in lentils were partly pre-gelatinised and trapped in the cotyledon cell, resulting in limited thickening and gelling abilities. In contrast, in quinoa, starch underwent pre-gelatinisation and retrogradation during the fermentation process, promoting the production of resistant starch and increasing fibre content. This study presents the potential of treated flours as ingredients possessing unique attributes compared to protein and fibre-rich conventional products.

Evaluation of Lipidomics Profile of Quinoa Flour and Changes during Storage Based on Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Quadrupole Exactive Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry.

Although quinoa is nutritious, its high fat content and lipase activity make it easily oxidized during storage. Meanwhile, quinoa's lipid composition and changes during storage are still unknown. Therefore, we stored fresh quinoa flour at low temperature and low humidity (LL), normal temperature and normal humidity (NN), and high temperature and high humidity (HH) conditions for 120 days to assess its oxidative stability and to monitor the changes in lipid composition. Herein, the contents of fatty acids, the peroxide values, the malondialdehyde values, and the lipase activity in quinoa flour during storage are determined to evaluate its oxidation stability. At LL and NN conditions, the contents of fatty acids, the peroxide values, the malondialdehyde values, and the lipase activity changed slowly. They were 3 (LL) and 5 times (NN), 2.7 (LL) and 4.7 times (NN), 1.4 (LL) and 2.3 times (NN), and 1.5 (LL) and 1.6 times (NN) the initial content at storage up to 120 d. However, with the prolongation of storage time under HH conditions, they all increased significantly to 8, 6.6, 3, and 2 times the original content. Moreover, during the storage of quinoa under LL, NN, and HH conditions for 120 days, we continuously monitored the lipid composition of quinoa grains with UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS/MS. We identified a total of 14 subclasses of 229 lipids, including 90 significantly different lipid species. PCA and PLS-DA showed that quinoa lipids in HH conditions changed significantly with prolonged storage; among these, the TG and DG classes were the most susceptible to oxidation, which could distinguish fresh quinoa from oxidized quinoa. Simultaneously, we also found that lipase activity has a significant impact on lipid metabolism through correlation analysis, which also indicates that enzyme inactivation treatment can slow down lipid hydrolysis and oxidation during storage. To explore the mechanism of these changes, we also identified twelve important lipid metabolism pathways during quinoa storage. In conclusion, our study advances knowledge of the storage stability and lipid oxidation mechanisms of quinoa and provides a theoretical basis for setting the shelf life of quinoa.

Effect of Some Fertilizer Combinations of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium on Some Qualitative Characteristics of Quinoa in Seed

A field experiment was carried out during the season 2020/2021 in Anbar Governorate - Heet district - Sweeb region to study the effect of levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on some yield characteristics of quinoa plants using three levels of nitrogen (50, 100, 150) kg h−1 and symbolized by (N1, N2, N3) respectively and three levels of phosphorus (22, 44 and 66) kg P ha−1 and took the symbolized (P1, P2, P3) and three levels of potassium (33.2, 66.2, 99.2) kg K.ha−1 The experiment was designed according to the randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The results of the experiment showed that the highest percentage of protein in quinoa grains reached 16.50% at low fertilizer levels of nitrogen and high levels of phosphorus and potassium when treated N1P3K3, As for the oil percentage, the low levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium gave the highest oil percentage of 4.39%, as well as the phenols gave the highest value of 74.73 mg Gallic gm−1 at medium levels of nitrogen and low levels of potassium and phosphorus 34.20 mg Gallic gm−1 when treated N2P1K1. As for the flavonoids, it gave the highest value of 34.20 mg Rutin gm−1 It was found that there was a strong positive correlation between phenols and flavonoids of r = 0.78. As for saponins it increased with a decrease in the level of nitrogen and an increase in the levels of phosphorus and potassium, as it gave the highest value of 8.21%, that is, when treating N2P1K1, and it was found that there was a strong negative correlation between The percentage of saponins and the percentage of nitrogen in seeds had a value of r=-0.75.

Evaluation of Physical, Anti-nutritional and Optimisation of Milling Characteristics of Quinoa Grains for Sustainable Food Security

Quinoa is a popular pseudo-cereal belonging from Andean region of South America. Post-harvest processing of quinoa plays important role in product development, further processing storage and shelf life extension of grains. The aim of present study was evaluation of physical properties, anti-nutritional factors of quinoa and quinoa grain were milled in order to investigate milling yield, milling loss, broken quinoa and head quinoa as the effect of milling in pearling. Post-harvest processing of quinoa was done in the form of pearling after dehulling process and obtained intermediate products. Pearling process of quinoa was done for a constant period of 5 minutes and different milling proportions were evaluated under different runs of the machine. In this study, thousand seed weight of quinoa grain observed about 2.50 to 2.58g in different runs. True density of quinoa ranged between 990 kg/cm3 (Max.) to 983 kg/cm3 (Min.) whereas bulk density of quinoa was stated between 680 to 691 Kg/cm3. Porosity of quinoa showed between 0.302 to 0.308. Saponin content in quinoa samples varied between 3.02 and 3.05% whereas phytin was found about 0.81 to 0.93%. Obtained results also showed L and b value increased after processing while a value decreased. Results obtained from processing showed that husk percentage found maximum as 19.01% whereas highest broken quinoa proportion was 23.63%. It was also observed that highest milling yield or recovery percentage was 63.58% while maximum milling loss recorded as 40.63%. Furthermore, the influence of pearling on the milling characteristics of quinoa were investigated. The milling fractions can be used to obtain new bread products with improved nutritional profiles.

Effect of soaking and germination on grain matrix and glycaemic potential: A comparative study on white quinoa, proso and foxtail millet flours

This study investigated the effect of soaking and germination treatment on interactions among matrix components and functional characteristics of white quinoa, proso and foxtail millet flour. The millet and white quinoa grains were soaked, germinated and dehulled for analysis. Soaking and germination significantly (p < 0.01) affected the content of total starch, amylose, amylopectin, total polyphenols and total flavonoids. A significant variation (p < 0.01) in in-vitro protein digestibility and glycaemic potential of proso, foxtail millet and white quinoa flour was observed after soaking and germination. SEM images and ATR-FTIR spectra revealed alteration in morphology and amorphous and crystalline regions of germinated flours. Principal component analysis revealed less similarity among the germinated millet and white quinoa flour in terms of matrix components and functional characteristics. Hence germinated flours of white quinoa, proso and foxtail millet could be utilized as a beneficial constituent in food products.

Fingerprinting of quinoa grain protein extracts by liquid chromatography with spectrophotometric detection for chemometrics discrimination

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) grain is gaining great popularity worldwide because it is a rich source of nutrients, bioactive compounds, complete essential amino acids, and high-quality proteins. The demand for quinoa-based products is on the rise, which makes them prone to adulteration with less expensive cereals. In this study, we described a rapid and simple procedure for fingerprinting of quinoa grain protein extracts based on the combination of liquid chromatography with ultraviolet absorption diode array detection (LC-UV-DAD) and chemometrics. First, we developed a novel LC-UV-DAD method to obtain distinctive multiwavelength chromatographic profiles of protein extracts from various commercial quinoa grains, which encompass different quinoa varieties sold as black, red, white (from Peru), and royal (white from Bolivia). Then, the components of the LC-UV-DAD fingerprints were deconvoluted by multivariate curve resolution alternating least squares (MCR-ALS), and principal component analysis (PCA) followed by partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were applied to efficiently discriminate the commercial quinoa grains according to their differential composition. The chemometrics-assisted LC-UV-DAD fingerprinting methodology demonstrated its potential to rapidly and reliably discriminate quinoa grains according to the differential composition of their protein extracts and it may be applied in food quality and food fraud control.