Relationship of Compositional, Mechanical, and Textural Properties of Gluten-Free Pasta Using Different Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) Varieties

Abstract

Quinoa epitomizes the drive for healthier foods with ethnic concepts in developed countries, particularly among millennials. As a result, the popularity of quinoa as a gluten-free alternative has steadily grown over the last 20 years. Despite this, little is known about the impact of specific varieties on processed foods. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of quinoa varieties (variety and content) on the mechanical and textural properties of buckwheat-based extruded pasta (spaghetti). Peruvian native (var. rosada taraco, kuchivila, negra collana, and mistura) and Latvian-grown (var. titicaca) varieties were independently incorporated to pasta between 5 and 20% (w/w). Pasta containing 20% quinoa var. negra collana, which presented the largest content of fiber and lowest content of saponin, was strongly associated to structural resilience (i.e., cohesiveness, firmness). Conversely, pasta containing 20% quinoa var. Titicaca appeared structurally weak (i.e., smooth). The addition of saponin-containing varieties to pasta (20%), such as rosada taraco and mistura, resulted in resilient structures with little effect on taste (incl. bitterness). Despite initial stability, pasta containing 20% quinoa var. kuchivila suffered heavy structural damage. In conclusion, the relationship of compositional, mechanical, and textural properties of pasta was strongly variety-dependent.

Physical and culinary analysis of long gluten-free extruded pasta based on high protein quinoa flour

“…The coordinates L * , a * and b * provide color properties that can vary with the chemical composition of the blending materials that are part of the formulation. The lightness (L * ) of the pastes obtained were dark, which is attributed to the presence of quinoa flour in the formulations (Ramos-Diaz et al, 2020). Extruded pastes were found to have higher brightness values than those containing lower percentages of starch and crude fat (formulations 4, 5 and 8).…”

“…Food products produced from quinoa have shown great results in terms of higher protein and fiber content, as well as low glycemic index (Montemurro et al, 2019;Ramos-Diaz et al, 2020). However, it may not be used in large quantities because of its intense flavor, as it lowers the quality of the final product.…”