The impact of germination and thermal treatments on bioactive compounds of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) seeds

Abstract

AbstractQuinoa is a highly nutritious crop with diverse applications in the food industry. The study assessed the impact of various processing techniques, including microwaving, boiling, roasting, steaming, flaking, and germination, on the crude protein content (CP), total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (AA), and 12 phenolic compounds in quinoa. CP was significantly affected by the heat treatments. Boiled quinoa flakes exhibited the highest average CP, boiling and roasting the lowest. Microwaving strongly enhanced the TPC and the content of six bioactive compounds (CFA, KMP, NAR, QCE, RUT, SA), while boiling and steaming had the most adverse effect. Germination improved the overall nutritional profile of quinoa. The most pronounced increase in the bioactive metabolites occurred between the third and fifth day of germination in a genotype-dependent manner. Six metabolites (NAR, SA, 4BA, IQ, PC, IH) were detected in germinated quinoa for the first time. The results emphasize the substantial influence of processing techniques and type of sample on quinoa nutritional quality and underscore the importance of proper consideration of those factors to obtain nutritionally optimal food products.