CHARACTERIZATION OF QUINOA (CHENOPODIUM-QUINOA) LIPIDS

Lipids isolated from quinoa seed and seed fractions were characterized for lipid classes and their fatty acid composition. Quinoa seed lipid s contained the largest amount of neutral lipids among all the seed fr actions analyzed. A very high content of free fatty acids was detected in whole quinoa seed and hulls, accounting for 18.9 and 15.4% of tota l lipids, respectively. Triglycerides were the major fraction present and accounted for over 50% of the neutral lipids. Diglycerides were pr esent in whole seed and contributed 20% of the neutral lipid fraction. Of the phospholipids examined, lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine, was the most abundant and made up 45% of the total polar lipids. Phosphatidyl choline was the second largest phospholipid component and contributed 12% of whole seed phospholipids. Considerable variation in phospholip ids was evident between the different fractions. The overall fatty aci d composition of whole quinoa seeds, however, was similar to that repo rted for other cereal grains, with linoleic, oleic and palmitic acids as the major acids present.