Abstract

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is an Andean pseudocereal that has received increasing attention from consumers in recent years. Starch is the main constituent of quinoa. In this study, we evaluated the color, amylose content, relative crystallinity, functional properties (water-absorption index (WAI), water- solubility index (WSI) and swelling power (SP)) and pasting properties of starch extracted by an alkaline method from the seeds of six Peruvian quinoa cultivars of different colors (white: INIA 431 “Altiplano” (WAQ), Salcedo INIA (WSQ), Kancolla (WKQ), Illpa INIA (WIQ), black: INIA 420 “Negra Collana” (BNQ), and red: INIA 415 “Roja Pasankalla” (RPQ)). Starches from light cultivars were found to have the highest reflectance (L* value), while red and black cultivars had the highest a* and b* values. Starch amylose content determined by a colorimetric iodine assay was similar among cultivars (25.45 ± 4.43%), as well as relative crystallinity and functional properties. Starches from clear cultivars had the highest peak viscosity (PV). BNQ had the highest pasting temperature (PT) (62.06 ºC), but the lowest PV, trough viscosity (TV), final viscosity (FV) and setback viscosity (SV). RPQ had the highest TV. The different pasting properties of starches would allow them to be used in different applications.

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