Abstract
Quinoa(Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is the original food crop in the Central Andes area in South America. It is an annual gynomonoecious plant. The plant length is 0.4~3.0 m with an erect stem. Its growth cycle varies from 120 to 200 days. The leaf petiole is long and narrow. The leaf shape is polymorphic within a single plant:lower leaves tend to be rhomboidal, whereas upper leaves tend to be lanceolate. The young leaf is utilized as a vegetable. The grain is a disc-shape, about 2 mm in diameter and 0.5 mm in thickness. The major anatomical parts of the grain are the pericarp, the perisperm and the embryo. After harvesting the grain is often enclosed in the perianth, which is easily removed by rubbing. The pericarp usually contains saponins, which are bitter antinutritional compounds. Therefore, the milled grain with the pericarp removed is used as a food. The embryo of the milled grain wraps around the perisperm like a headband. The proximate composition of the milled grain is similar to that of the whole grain. The milled grain as a foodstuff contains more protein, lipid and minerals than other cereals such as rice, wheat, barley, etc. Further, the ratio of protein, lipid and sugars is excellent in nutritive quality, and the mineral content is 2-5 times that of other cereals. The leaf is also considered a good green-vegetable equal to spinach.
