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Quinoa germ processing could boost pasta protein content

A study found pasta with up to 30% quinoa germ raised protein to 20.55%, while higher additions hurt quality.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Agriculture

Quinoa’s protein and vitamin potential may be strengthened through a process that isolates the grain’s germ, according to World Grain.

The outlet cited research from a Northern Crops Institute milling specialist saying quinoa germ makes up about 30% of the grain, compared with roughly 2% to 3% for conventional grains, and noted work by a Central Food Technological Research Institute researcher developing technology to separate pure quinoa germ at more than 85% purity and yield.

In testing described by World Grain, researchers added quinoa grain germ to pasta and measured physical, nutritional, morphological, and texture properties. Pasta supplemented with up to 30% quinoa germ improved pasta protein content to 20.55% from 13.55%, while the report also said the whiteness index fell and that cooking time, swelling index, cooked weight, and cooking loss moved in favorable directions.

World Grain added that pasta with 20% quinoa germ was judged acceptable, but quality was inferior when germ levels went above 20%. The study appeared in the December 2023 issue of the Journal of Food Science.

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