THE EFFECT OF SOAKING AND GERMINATION TREATMENTS ON NUTRITIVE, ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, AND BIOACTIVE COMPOSITION OF QUINOA (CHENOPODIUM QUINOA WILLD.)

Author (s) : P.KAVITHA, C.MADHUMETHA

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Abstract :
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is an ancestral species from the Andean region, which is considered as a staple food for its population. Quinoa has evolved as a healthy substitute to gluten-rich grains for the preparation of gluten-free food products. Besides being gluten-free, they are also a rich source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is known to reduce bad cholesterol in body and raise good cholesterol due to its omega-3 and 6 content. It is a rich source of vitamins, minerals and also found to contain compounds like polyphenols, phytosterols, phytoestrogens and flavonoids. Soaking and germination are treated as simplest, cost-effective and the most commonly used techniques to improve the nutritional quality of food grains. Prior to germination treatment, seeds were soaked for 16 hours and then germinated for 24, 48, and 72 hours. The soaked and sprouted grain was dried at 40°C in a hot air oven. The prolonged soaking and germination time resulted in increasing the contents of crude protein, crude fiber, total phenolics content, and antioxidant activity significantly (p≤0.05) by 12.07, 34.59, 24.98, and 25.86% respectively. There was also significant (p≤0.05) decrease in crude fat, tannin content, and phytic content by 35.05, 27.08, and 14.58% during soaking and germination treatment respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that soaking and germination treatments proved highly effective for improving the nutritional, anti-oxidant activity, bioactive components and decreased the anti-nutritional components of quinoa.

Keywords : Quinoa, Soaking, Germination, Nutritional, Antioxidant Activity, Phenolic and Anti-nutritional components.

Conference Date : 13/11/2020

Pages : 248

Paper ID : 20248