Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoaWilld.) and kañiwa (Chenopodium pallidicauleAellen) are native food plants of high nutritional value grown in the Andean region and used as food by the Incas and previous cultures. Quinoa and kañiwa served as a substitute for scarce animal proteins and are still one of the principal protein sources of the region. The importance of these proteins is based on their quality, with a balanced composition of essential amino acids similar to the composition of casein, the protein of milk. According to studies at the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (UNALM), quinoa and kañiwa have a very high chemical score, and one cultivar of quinoa, Amarilla de Marangani, does not have any limiting amino acid. It is also important to recognize and utilize the relatively high quantity of oil in quinoa and kañiwa. These grains can be a potential raw material for oil extraction. The highest percentage of fatty acids present in these oils is Omega 6 (linoleic acid), being 50.2% for quinoa and 42.6% ...

Four varieties of an Andean indigenous crop, quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), were evaluated as a source of dietary fiber, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. The crops were processed by extrusion-cooking and the final products were analyzed to determine the dietary fiber, total polyphenols, radical scavenging activity, and in vitro digestibility of starch and protein. There were no significant differences in the contents of total dietary fiber between varieties of quinoa. In all cases, the contents of total and insoluble dietary fiber decreased during the extrusion process. At the same time, the content of soluble dietary fiber increased. The content of total phenolic compounds and the radical scavenging activity increased during the extrusion process in the case of all 4 varieties. There were significant differences between the varieties and the content of total polyphenols. The in vitro protein digestibility of quinoa varieties was between 76.3 and 80.5% and the in vitro starch digestibility was between 65.1 and 68.7%. Our study demonstrates that quinoa can be considered a good source of dietary fiber, polyphenols and other antioxidant compounds and that extrusion improves the nutritional value.

Quinoa is a crop that originated from the Andes. It has high nutritional value, outstanding agro‐ecological adaptability, and low water requirements. Quinoa is an excellent crop alternative to help overcome food shortages, and it can also have a role in the prevention of developed world lifestyle diseases, such as type‐2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, etc. In order to expand the traditional uses of quinoa and to provide new, healthier and more nutritious food products, a fermented quinoa‐based beverage was developed. Two quinoa varieties (Rosada de Huancayo and Pasankalla) were studied. The fermentation process, viscosity, acidity, and metabolic activity during the preparation and storage of the drink were monitored, as well as the preliminary organoleptic acceptability of the product. The drink had viable and stable microbiota during the storage time and the fermentation proved to be mostly homolactic. Both quinoa varieties were suitable as base for fermented products; Pasankalla, however, has the advantage due to higher protein content, lower saponin concentration, and lower loss of viscosity during the fermentation process. These results suggest that the differences between quinoa varieties may have substantial effects on food processes and on the properties of final products. This is a factor that should be taken into account when planning novel products based on this grain.