Molecular structural characteristics of quinoa starch

The structural properties of starches isolated from five quinoa lines were characterized. All quinoa starches used in the study exhibited the A-type of diffraction pattern. The starches were waxy, with low amylose contents (5.2 to 10.9%) and high degrees of relative crystallinity (39.0 to 43.0%). Quinoa amylose molecules had a large number of branched chains, and the λ max (maximum absorption wavelength) and BV (blue value at 680nm) of quinoa amylose molecules were low compared to barley amylose molecules. On the other hand, quinoa amylopectin molecules had a large proportion of LC (longest chain) with a high λ max and BV. These structural characteristics of quinoa starches suggested that quinoa could be used as a novel food source.