Malting process as an alternative to obtain high nutritional quality quinoa flour

The present work aimed to study which nutritional advantages can be obtained by malting quinoa grains. For that, three varieties of quinoa: “Negra Collana”, “Passankalla Roja” and “INIA Salcedo” were studied. Malting process consisted of hydration (4 h - 25 °C), germination (48 h −25 °C), drying (24 h–55 °C) and deculming (radicle removing) steps. In both, malted and unmalted grains, the following determinations were carried out: total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, antioxidant capacity, ascorbic acid, reducing sugars, protein, total fat and ash content. As main results, malting process significantly affected the nutritional properties, increasing phenolic compounds, flavonoids, antioxidant capacity, ascorbic acid and reducing sugars in all varieties. However, ash, protein and fat content were reduced due to germination metabolism, excepting in Negra Collana variety, whose protein content was increased by malting. In conclusion, only Negra Collana and Pasankalla Roja varieties received advantages from malting: Malted Negra Collana quinoa would contribute with proteins and minerals, while Pasankalla Roja would contribute with ascorbic acid, reducing sugars and bioactive compounds, being useful as ingredients for the formulation of new products.