Functional Components and Anti-Nutritional Factors in Gluten-Free Grains: A Focus on Quinoa Seeds

Quinoa sourdough fermented with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CRL 1964, a powerful tool to enhance the nutritional features of quinoa snacks

The remarkable nutritional attributes and potential health advantages of quinoa make it an important candidate for developing innovative ready-to-eat food products. This work aimed to develop a functional ready-to-eat snack based on quinoa sourdough fermented by Lactiplantibacillus (L.) plantarum CRL 1964. Phytate, phosphates, and soluble mineral content (Fe, Mn, Zn, Mg, Ca, and P) were determined in snacks formulated with sourdough and control doughs. An in vitro digestion model was performed on quinoa snacks to assess their mineral bioaccessibility and dialyzability. Phytate content was significantly lower (ca. 42.3%) while phosphates were higher (ca. eightfold) in quinoa-based sourdough and sourdough-based snacks (S1964) than in controls. Soluble minerals were higher (10.2%-32.0%) in S1964 than in controls. Mineral bioaccessibility and mineral dialyzability were also higher (ca. 24.5%) among S1964 and control snacks. The developed quinoa snack made from sourdough fermented by L. plantarum CRL 1964 had less phytate concentration and high bioaccessibility of minerals. These findings underscore the relevance of this innovative technology in creating food products that are not only highly nutritious but also represent a valuable contribution to the market of healthy foods. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: In this study, a novel snack based on quinoa sourdough with improved nutritional properties was developed. The addition of quinoa sourdough fermented by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CRL 1964 to the preparation of quinoa snacks resulted in a product with a lower concentration of phytate and a higher content of phosphates and minerals (soluble, bioaccessible, and dialyzable). These results underline the efficacy of the new snack as a promising alternative to conventional mineral fortification methods. This innovative approach holds promise for addressing nutritional deficiencies and the demand for healthy snack options in today's market.

Early Flowering and Maturity Promote the Successful Adaptation and High Yield of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) in Temperate Regions

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) can offer an alternative for staple food considering its tolerance to abiotic stresses and high seed quality. However, its cultivation in temperate regions has not been successful due to its photoperiod sensitivity and low seed yield. This study investigated the agronomical performance and quality traits of 48 accessions for cultivation in northern Europe. We conducted two-year field trials and phenotyped traits related to phenological development, plant architecture, yield components, seed quality, and disease resistance. The major determinants of seed yield in this study were days to flowering, days to maturity, thousand-kernel weight, and panicle density, while downy mildew susceptibility and stem lodging showed a negative correlation with seed yield. We developed a selection index to enable simultaneous selection based on different important agronomical traits. We evaluated the stability of different accessions over the two years of the experiment. Finally, we provided a list of 10 selected accessions that can be directly integrated and serve as new crossing parents in quinoa breeding programs for temperate regions.

Safety evaluation of rare ginsenosides of stems and leaves from American ginseng: 90-day exposure toxicity study combined with intestinal flora analysis and metabonomics in rats

Rare ginsenosides have already been widely applied in many fields, including health food and bio-medicine. The human being can expose to rare ginsenosides directly or indirectly increasingly. However, there are few studies on the safety assessment of rare ginsenoside mixtures. In the present study, the sub-chronic toxicity of rare ginsenosides for 90 days on SD rats was performed by combining the intestinal flora analysis and urine metabonomics aiming to illustrate the safety of long-term consumption of rare ginsenosides and the potential damage for liver and intestinal. 48 adult rats were divided into four groups: control (0 mg/kg), low-dose (60 mg/kg), medium-dose (200 mg/kg), and high-dose (600 mg/kg). Rats in the high-dose group showed inflammatory changes in their livers and intestines. The strong bactericidal effect of rare ginsenosides caused intestinal flora disorder and changed the structure of intestinal flora in rats, thus inducing intestinal damage in rats. In the high-dose group, levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) increased significantly. As a result of the high-dose treatment, certain metabolic pathways were altered, such as vitamin B6 metabolism, methionine metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and others. These results indicated that high doses of rare ginsenosides induced liver injury by affecting the above metabolic pathways. Rare ginsenosides with no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) were below 200 mg/kg/day in vivo. Thus, this present study provides insight into the rational use of rare ginsenosides.

Development of an Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Procedure for the Simultaneous Determination of Anthocyanins and Phenolic Acids in Black Beans

Beans are an essential source of nutritional components such as plant proteins, minerals and dietary fiber, as well as of antioxidants such as phenolic compounds. Phenolic compounds are praised for their biological activities and possible benefits on human health. Since no official methods are available for phenolic compound extraction, the optimization of extraction parameters via Response Surface Methodology (RSM) has become a commonly used methodological approach for reliable determinations. This study aimed to apply RSM to optimize the ultrasound-assisted extraction procedure of phenolic compounds, including anthocyanins, from black beans. A Generally Recognized As Safe solvent (ethanol) was used. Solvent concentration, extraction time, and solvent/sample ratio were optimized to maximize two responses: Total Anthocyanin Content (TAC) and Total Phenolic Content (TPC). An ethanol concentration of 64%, 30 min extraction time, and a 50 mL/g solvent/sample ratio were identified as the optimal extraction conditions. The TAC was 71.45 ± 1.96 mg cyanidin-3-O-glucoside equivalents 100 g-1 dm, and the TPC was 60.14 ± 0.89 mg gallic acid equivalents 100 g-1 dm. Among the pigmented phenolic compounds, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and peonidin-3-O-glucoside were identified in the extracts. Regarding phenolic acids, caffeic, sinapic, and t-ferulic acids were detected.

Amaranth and quinoa as potential nutraceuticals: A review of anti-nutritional factors, health benefits and their applications in food, medicinal and cosmetic sectors

Amaranth and quinoa are small-seeded grains with high nutritional and phytochemical profiles that promote numerous health benefits and offer protection against various chronic ailments including hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disorders. They are classified as pseudocereals and possess significant nutritional benefits due to their abundance of proteins, lipids, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Moreover, they exhibit an exceptional balance of essential amino acids. Despite having several health benefits, these grains have lost their popularity due to their coarse nature and are neglected in developed countries. Research and development activities are growing to explore these underutilized crops, characterizing and valorizing them for food applications. In this context, this review highlights the latest advancements in use of amaranth and quinoa as nutraceutical and functional foods, covering their bioactive substances, anti-nutritional factors, processing techniques, health benefits, and applications. This information will be valuable for planning novel research for efficient use of these neglected grains.

Response Surface Methodology as an Experimental Strategy for Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Artichoke Heads

The accurate quantification of phenolic compounds (PCs) in foods has become mandatory for a reliable estimation of PCs dietary intake. However, the extraction step of these molecules from the food matrix is a challenging and complex task. To manage the current lack of an official or generally accepted procedure for the recovery of phenolics, the application of statistical and mathematical tools, such as the response surface methodology (RSM), that allow the optimization of extraction parameters and the acquisition of the best output, has become the analytical approach of choice. The aim of this study was to apply an RSM-optimized ultrasound-assisted procedure to extract phenolic compounds from artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus (L.) Hegi, cultivar "Campagnano") heads. The effect of extraction time, temperature, and solvent-to-sample ratio on the profile and content of phenolic acids and flavonoids was investigated. The total phenolic content was 488.13 ± 0.56 mg GAE 100 g^-1 dry matter (dm) and total flavonoid content was 375.03 ± 1.49 mg CAT_eq 100 g^-1 dm when the optimum extraction conditions were set. The HPLC analysis showed that caffeoylquinic acid derivatives (i.e., cynarin and 1,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid) were the main compounds in globe artichokes. Caffeic and p-coumaric acids were also identified. In regard to flavonoids, only the flavone luteolin-7-O-glucoside was identified.

Nutrient composition, functional activity and industrial applications of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

Quinoa is one of the gluten-free crops that has attracted considerable interest. Quinoa contains functional ingredients such as bioactive peptides, polysaccharides, saponins, polyphenols, flavonoids and other compounds. It is very important to determine efficient methods to identify such functional ingredients, and to explain their possible health benefits in humans. In this review, the chemical structure and biological activity mechanisms of quinoa nutrient composition have been elaborated. In addition, the development of quinoa-based functional foods and feed is emerging, providing a reference for the development of functional products with quinoa as an ingredient that are beneficial to health. The active ingredients in quinoa have different health effects including antioxidant, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity activities. Further exploration is also needed to improve the application of quinoa within the functional food industry, and in the areas of feed, medicine and cosmetics.

Wild vs. Cultivated Zingiber striolatum Diels: Nutritional and Biological Activity Differences

Compositional, functional, and nutritional properties are important for the use-value assessments of wild and cultivated edible plants. The aim of this study was to compare the nutritional composition, bioactive compounds, volatile compounds, and potential biological activities of cultivated and wild Zingiber striolatum. Various substances, such as soluble sugars, mineral elements, vitamins, total phenolics, total flavonoids, and volatiles, were measured and analyzed using UV spectrophotometry, ICP-OES, HPLC, and GC-MS methods. The antioxidant capacity of a methanol extract of Z. striolatum, as well as the hypoglycemic abilities of its ethanol and water extracts, were tested. The results showed that the contents of soluble sugar, soluble protein, and total saponin in the cultivated samples were higher, while the wild samples contained higher amounts of K, Na, Se, vitamin C, and total amino acids. The cultivated Z. striolatum also showed a higher antioxidant potential, while the wild Z. striolatum exhibited a better hypoglycemic activity. Thirty-three volatile compounds were identified using GC-MS in two plants, with esters and hydrocarbons being the main volatile compounds. This study demonstrated that both cultivated and wild Z. striolatum have a good nutritional value and biological activity, and can be used as a source of nutritional supplementation or even in medication.

Research Progress of Quinoa Seeds (Chenopodium quinoa Wild.): Nutritional Components, Technological Treatment, and Application

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Wild.) is a pseudo-grain that belongs to the amaranth family and has gained attention due to its exceptional nutritional properties. Compared to other grains, quinoa has a higher protein content, a more balanced amino acid profile, unique starch features, higher levels of dietary fiber, and a variety of phytochemicals. In this review, the physicochemical and functional properties of the major nutritional components in quinoa are summarized and compared to those of other grains. Our review also highlights the technological approaches used to improve the quality of quinoa-based products. The challenges of formulating quinoa into food products are addressed, and strategies for overcoming these challenges through technological innovation are discussed. This review also provides examples of common applications of quinoa seeds. Overall, the review underscores the potential benefits of incorporating quinoa into the diet and the importance of developing innovative approaches to enhance the nutritional quality and functionality of quinoa-based products.

Integrating transcriptomics and metabolomics to analyze quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) responses to drought stress and rewatering

The crop production of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), the only plant meeting basic human nutritional requirements, is affected by drought stress. To better understand the drought tolerance mechanism of quinoa, we screened the drought-tolerant quinoa genotype "Dianli 129" and studied the seedling leaves of the drought-tolerant quinoa genotype after drought and rewatering treatments using transcriptomics and targeted metabolomics. Drought-treatment, drought control, rewatering-treated, and rewatered control were named as DR, DC, RW, and RC, respectively. Among four comparison groups, DC vs. DR, RC vs. RW, RW vs. DR, and RC vs. DC, we identified 10,292, 2,307, 12,368, and 3 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and 215, 192, 132, and 19 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs), respectively. A total of 38,670 genes and 142 pathways were annotated. The results of transcriptome and metabolome association analysis showed that gene-LOC110713661 and gene-LOC110738152 may be the key genes for drought tolerance in quinoa. Some metabolites accumulated in quinoa leaves in response to drought stress, and the plants recovered after rewatering. DEGs and DEMs participate in starch and sucrose metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis, which are vital for improving drought tolerance in quinoa. Drought tolerance of quinoa was correlated with gene expression differences, metabolite accumulation and good recovery after rewatering. These findings improve our understanding of drought and rewatering responses in quinoa and have implications for the breeding of new drought-tolerance varieties while providing a theoretical basis for drought-tolerance varieties identification.

Screening for α-Glucosidase-Inhibiting Saponins from Pressurized Hot Water Extracts of Quinoa Husks

The present study extracted total saponins from quinoa husks with pressurized hot water extraction and optimized the extraction conditions. The response surface methodology (RSM) with a Box–Behnken design (BBD) was employed to investigate the effects of extraction flow rate, extraction temperature and extraction time on the extraction yield of total saponins. A maximal yield of 23.06 mg/g was obtained at conditions of 2 mL/min, 210 °C and 50 min. The constituents of the extracts were analyzed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). A total of twenty-three compounds were identified, including five flavonoids, seventeen triterpenoid saponins and a phenolic acid. Moreover, we performed an in vitro assay for the α-glucosidase activity and found a stronger inhibitory effect of the quinoa husk extracts than acarbose, suggesting its potential to be developed into functional products with hypoglycemic effect. Finally, our molecular docking analyses indicated triterpenoid saponins as the main bioactive components.

The Role of Amaranth, Quinoa, and Millets for the Development of Healthy, Sustainable Food Products-A Concise Review

The selection of sustainable crops adaptable to the rapidly changing environment, which also cater to the dietary needs of the growing population, is a primary challenge in meeting food security. Grains from ancient crops such as amaranth, quinoa, and millets are positioned to address this challenge and hence have gained dietary predominance among cereals and pseudocereals due to their nutritional value and energy efficiency. From a nutritional perspective, they are recognized for their complete protein, phenolic compounds and flavonoids, prebiotic fibers, and essential micronutrients, including minerals and vitamins. Bioactive peptides from their proteins have shown antihypertensive, antidiabetic, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. The nutritional diversity of these grains makes them a preferred choice over traditional cereals for developing healthy, sustainable food products such as plant-based dairy, vegan meats, and gluten-free products. With growing consumer awareness about sustainability and health, the categories mentioned above are transitioning from ‘emerging’ to ‘mainstream’; however, there is still a significant need to include such healthy grains to fulfill the nutritional gap. This review article emphasizes the health benefits of amaranth, quinoa, and millet grains and discusses the recent research progress in understanding their application in new sustainable food categories. The challenges associated with their incorporation into novel foods and future research directions are also provided.

Improving Nutritional and Health Benefits of Biscuits by Optimizing Formulations Based on Sprouted Pseudocereal Grains

A mixture design (MD) was used to evaluate the effect of replacing wheat flour (WF) with sprouted cañihua (Chenopodium pallidicaule Aellen), kiwicha (Amarathus caudatus L.), and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) flours (SCF, SKF, and SQF, respectively) on the content of phytic acid (PA), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), total soluble phenolic compounds (TSPC), and antioxidant activity (AA) in biscuits. Generally, sprouted pseudocereal flours contained lower amounts of starch and protein, comparable fat, ash, PA content, and increased levels of bioactive compounds (GABA and TSPC) and AA compared with wholegrain flours. Moreover, it was confirmed that sprouted pseudocereal flours were nutritionally superior to refined WF. MD allowed the modeling of target parameters showing that PA, GABA, TSPC, and AA were positively influenced by the proportion of flours in the biscuit. The models that better described the variation in nutritional parameters as a function of the formulation displayed typically linear and binary interactions terms. SKF exerted the highest influence on the increased content of PA. Therefore, to increase mineral bioavailability, the use of SCF and SQF in the formulation of biscuits was suggested. SCF and SQF positively influenced in GABA, TSPC, and AA in biscuits. The optimal ternary blends of flours that maximize the content of bioactive compounds and AA of biscuits and simultaneously minimize PA content were identified. To study the fate of biscuits in digestion, the optimal formulation for biscuits containing SQF/SCF was selected. For this type of baked product, reduced starch digestibility and glycemic index was observed compared with the control (100% WF). Moreover, the amounts of bioaccessible GABA, TSPC, and AA were higher in gastric and intestinal digests compared with control biscuit. Overall, these results highlighted the nutritional and health benefits of incorporation of flours from sprouted Andean grains in the production of biscuits.

Nutritional Composition and Bioactive Components in Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Greens: A Review

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a nutrient-rich grain native to South America and eaten worldwide as a healthy food, sometimes even referred to as a ”superfood”. Like quinoa grains, quinoa greens (green leaves, sprouts, and microgreens) are also rich in nutrients and have health promoting properties such as being antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antiobesity, and cardio-beneficial. Quinoa greens are gluten-free and provide an excellent source of protein, amino acids, essential minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. Quinoa greens represent a promising value-added vegetable that could resolve malnutrition problems and contribute to food and nutritional security. The greens can be grown year-round (in the field, high tunnel, and greenhouse) and have short growth durations. In addition, quinoa is salt-, drought-, and cold-tolerant and requires little fertilizer and water to grow. Nevertheless, consumption of quinoa greens as leafy vegetables is uncommon. To date, only a few researchers have investigated the nutritional properties, phytochemical composition, and human health benefits of quinoa greens. We undertook a comprehensive review of the literature on quinoa greens to explore their nutritional and functional significance to human health and to bring awareness to their use in human diets.

Technological, Sensory, and Hypoglycemic Effects of Quinoa Flour Incorporation into Biscuits

Background. Biscuits are consumed by all of society in the world. Incorporation of different ratios of quinoa flour into wheat flour for the production of biscuits is needed for the production of functional foods. Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the incorporation of 12.5% or 25% quinoa flour into biscuit production, evaluate rheological and sensory characteristics, and investigate the effect of the consumption of 20% cooked biscuits on diabetic rats. Design. The gross chemical composition, total carotenoids, phenolic and flavonoids of wheat flour and quinoa flour, and the rheological properties of the control, 12.5% quinoa, and 25% quinoa biscuit dough were determined. The effects of consumption of 12.5% quinoa and 25% quinoa biscuits on diabetic rats were investigated. Results. Quinoa flour had significantly higher levels of the gross chemical composition except for carbohydrate and increased phenolic compound and flavonoids content than those in wheat flour. Increasing the amount of quinoa flour in the biscuits could increase the farinograph and extensograph values of the dough. Biological results showed that the highest improvement in nutritional values appeared in the diabetic rat group, which consumed 25% quinoa biscuit for 60 days. The consumption of 12.5% quinoa biscuit and 25% quinoa biscuit showed a decline in blood glycosylated hemoglobin and glucose and an elevation in insulin levels compared with the positive control diabetic rat group. Discussion and Conclusion. It is encouraging to replace wheat flour with quinoa flour in biscuit manufacturing owing to positive effects on both the technological properties and sensory evaluation of biscuits. The increase of quinoa flour up to 25% had favorable nutritional values and hypoglycemic effects.

Safety assessment of crude saponins from Chenopodium quinoa willd. husks: 90-day oral toxicity and gut microbiota & metabonomics study in rats

The subchronic toxicity of saponins of Chenopodium quinoa Willd. husks in healthy adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats was explored. Female and male rats were randomly divided into 0, 5, 50, and 500 mg/kg body weight (BW)/day groups. Subchronic general toxicity, metabonomics and gut microbiota were assessed. The rats treated with saponins weighed less and had lower blood sugar levels (P < 0.05). Thirty-two differential metabolites were found in female rats and 23 in male rats. Saponins also led to changes in metabonomics. Slight necrosis was observed in the intestinal mucosa, which was associated with an increase in the gut microbiota diversity of female rats in the high-dose saponin treatment group and metabolic changes in the liver and kidney. In conclusion, the toxic effect of quinoa saponins is sex-dependent; however, the no-observed-adverse-effect level for quinoa saponins was evaluated to be under 50 mg/kg BW/day for both sexes in the current study.

Nutrient weight against sarcopenia: regulation of the IGF-1/PI3K/Akt/FOXO pathway in quinoa metabolites

Sarcopenia is characterized by the loss of muscle mass and strength, and one of its major molecular mechanisms is muscle protein turnover. Quinoa, the grain-like food crop, is a health nutrient used to treat diseases that predispose individuals to muscle wasting, including cardiovascular disorders, diabetes mellitus, and cancer. Quinoa secondary metabolites have recently been demonstrated to regulate protein turnover (including protein synthesis and degradation), a main biological process within muscle cells, through diverse signals (such as the p38 MAPK, TNF-α, and IGF-1/PI3K/Akt/FOXO pathways). Here, we describe how quinoa functions in the main pathway of protein synthesis and degradation, screen promising pharmacological components in nutritional applications, and provide guidance for the effects of quinoa products in sarcopenia.

Growth, Yield, Quality, and Phytochemical Behavior of Three Cultivars of Quinoa in Response to Moringa and Azolla Extracts under Organic Farming Conditions

Increased demand for quinoa as a functional food has resulted in more quinoa-growing areas and initiatives to increase grain production, particularly in organic agriculture. Quinoa seeds are a superfood with incredible nutritional benefits. They are abundant in secondary metabolites with significant medicinal activity. This report was consequently performed to investigate whether Azolla fliculoides (AE) or moringa leaf extract (MLE) foliar spray can be supplemented as organic extracts to enhance quinoa growth and productivity under organic farming. Three quinoa cultivars, KVL–SRA2 (C1), Chipaya (C2), and Q–37 (C3), were grown organically and subjected to foliar spraying with AE or MLE at a 20% ratio, as well as their combination (AE+MLE). Plant performance of the three cultivars was significantly enhanced by MLE or AE applications as compared with control plants. The highest outputs were obtained by AE+MLE treatment, which significantly increased the seed yield by about 29% as compared with untreated plants. Seed quality exhibited a marked increase in response to AE+MLE that was superior in this regard as it showed higher protein, carbohydrates, saponine, tannins, phenolics, and flavonoids content. The C3-cultivar demonstrated the highest productivity, saponine, and flavonoids levels as compared to the other cultivars. Overall, the current study indicated that foliar spray with AE+MLE could enhance growth and productivity as well as quality and pharmaceutical active ingredients of quinoa cultivars grown under farming conditions.

Modelling and Optimization of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Black Quinoa by Response Surface Methodology

Phenolic compounds are currently the most investigated class of functional components in quinoa. However, great variability in their content emerged, because of differences in sample intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics; processing-induced factors; as well as extraction procedures applied. This study aimed to optimize phenolic compound extraction conditions in black quinoa seeds by Response Surface Methodology. An ultrasound-assisted extraction was performed with two different mixtures; and the effect of time; temperature; and sample-to-solvent ratio on total phenolic content (TPC) was investigated. Data were fitted to a second-order polynomial model. Multiple regression analysis and analysis of variance were used to determine the fitness of the model and optimal conditions for TPC. Three-dimensional surface plots were generated from the mathematical models. TPC at optimal conditions was 280.25 ± 3.94 mg of Gallic Acid Equivalent (GAE) 100 g⁻¹ dm upon extraction with aqueous methanol/acetone, and 236.37 ± 5.26 mg GAE 100 g⁻¹ dm with aqueous ethanol mixture. The phenolic profile of extracts obtained at optimal conditions was also investigated by HPLC. The two extracting procedures did not show different specificities for phenolic compounds but differed in the extraction yield.

Impact of Fermentation on Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Quinoa

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is increasingly singled out as a healthy food with an excellent nutritional profile. Besides being suitable for gluten-free diets, it is rich in proteins of excellent quality and is a good source of minerals and vitamins, as well as of natural antioxidants, such as phenolic compounds. The aim of this work is to present how fermentation can affect phenolic compound content and antioxidant capacity of quinoa. It emerged that fermentation can be used to increase phenolic compound content and antioxidant capacity in both quinoa seeds and flours. The use of fermented quinoa flours allowed obtaining bread and pasta richer in phenolic compounds and with a greater antioxidant capacity. Fungi are the main starters used in quinoa seed fermentation, while Lactobacillus strains have been applied to produce sourdoughs. Quinoa has been also fermented to obtain yogurt-like beverages with a higher content in phenolic compounds and a greater antioxidant activity. Strains of Lactobacillus sp. and Bifidobacterium sp. have been used as starters.