Las harinas de quinua, amaranto y la chía tienen proporciones considerables de proteína, almidón, fibra dietética, lípidos, minerales, vitaminas y componentes bioactivos, lo que les confiere propiedades excepcionales para la nutrición humana. El objetivo de esta investigación fue la caracterización fisicoquímica de las harinas y semillas de quinua, amaranto y chía mediante la realización de un análisis proximal, óptico, funcional, térmico y estructural. A partir de los resultados obtenidos en el análisis proximal, se determinaron proporciones considerables de proteína y fibra para las tres harinas, siendo mayor en harina de chía con valores de 28,56% y 39,8%, respectivamente. Estos resultados fueron corroborados por el análisis de microscopía óptica realizada a cortes longitudinales en las tres semillas. Los parámetros térmicos, indicaron que las tres harinas presentaron un proceso de degradación térmica no reversible y un cambio de transición vítrea para la harina de amaranto y chía a temperaturas superiores a 100ºC. La caracterización estructural de las harinas por FTIR, permitió identificar diferencias en las bandas de absorción características de proteínas y lípidos. Patrones de difracción de almidón tipo A, para las harinas de quínoa y amaranto fueron identificados, mientras que la harina de chía presentó dos picos cristalinos correspondientes a calcio y magnesio. Las imágenes SEM permitieron observar agregados de almidones en la harina de quínoa, una estructura compleja compuesta por proteínas esféricas que rodea los almidones en harina de amaranto y estructuras fibrosas y proteínas esféricas en harina de chía.

Meat products are considered highly perishable foods because of their physical, chemical and biological characteristics. Different compounds can be combined to produce active films with greater functionality, which can provide effective protection to food during storage. In this research, active films formulated with polyvinyl alcohol, gelatin, and different oleoresin concentrations of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) were made by using the casting methodology, a process by which a solution is poured into a mold. Bovine loins (Longissimus dorsi) were coated with the active films formulated, stored at 4 °C, performing physicochemical characterization for 1, 3, 6 and 10 days. The results obtained indicate a decrease in pH, humidity percentage, peroxide value (POVs), total volatile nitrogen bases (TVB-N) and greater conservation of the a* parameter (coordinate where +a indicates red, -a indicates green) in loins covered with active films during storage time. Thus, the active films formulated could be used in the meat industry to extend the shelf life of bovine loins.

The aim of the research was to obtain a meat analog by using a flour mixture composed of quinoa and amaranthas protein source of plant origin. For this purpose, an optimal mixture was formulated of flours composed of quinoa and amaranth, which was texturized in an extruder to form an emulsion. To optimize the emulsion, the study used a response surface central composite design. The input factors were percentage of mixture, percentage of humidity and percentage of oil and the response variable considered the percentage of protein in the mixtures. The results indicated that the optimal emulsion consisted of 55/100 g of humidity, 3/100 g of oil, 42/100 g of flour mixture and 18/100 g of protein. The optimal mixture showed appropriate viscous-elastic behavior to prepare a cooked ham-type meat analog. The analog obtained complied with the physical-chemical parameters of texture and color established by NTC 1325.