COMPOSITION AND PROTEIN NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF QUINOA

Dehulled quinoa flour (Colorado D407) contained over 58% starch, 15.6% protein (N X 6.25), 2.7% sugars, 8.9% total dietary fiber, and nearly 7% lipids and ash. The proportion of soluble fiber was only 13.5% of total dietary fiber. Quinoa was rich in several micronutrients, especi ally potassium, iron, calcium, and riboflavin. The lysine level in qui noa protein (6.3%) was comparable to that of soybean and was typical o f dicotyledonous seed protein in being deficient in methionine. Based on animal studies (protein efficiency ratio, protein digestibility, an d nitrogen balance), the quality of protein in quinoa matched that of the milk protein casein.