Abstract
Quinoa seeds (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) were mechanically fractionated to pericarps and dehulled seeds using a rice pearling mill. The dehulled seeds were further fractionated to perisperms and embryos, based on the histology of the seeds, using a barley pearling mill. The recoveries of pericarps and dehulled seeds, were 7.9 and 92.1%, and those of embryos and perisperms 23.2, and 68.9%, respectively. These fractions were examined by electron microscopy, and their nutritional compositions were measured. Compared with other tissues, the embryos have higher protein, fat, crude fiber, and dietary fiber contents. The pericarps contained 67.6% of the total saponin content in the whole grain. Phytic acid content in the perisperm was also higher than those in the embryos and perisperms, and represented 60.1% of the total phytic acid content. Among the tissues examined, the perisperms had the highest carbohydrate content (79.7g/100g), while the embryo had the lowest at 32.0%. Thus, pericarp, embryo, and perisperm fractions can be used as new food ingredients based on their chemical compositions.
