Proximate, physico-chemical, functional and sensory properties OF quinoa and amaranth flour AS potential binders in beef sausages

•Amaranth and quinoa, are pseudo cereals and act as binders in meat product processing.•Amaranth and quinoa flours had better protein content than corn-starch and equivalent carbohydrates content which are major contributors to binding capacity.•Amaranth and quinoa possess better physico-chemical and functional properties than corn-starch.•Amaranth and quinoa made sausages were accepted as corn-starch made sausages by consumers. There is an increase in demand for sausages in developing countries, however, accessibility and cost of binders are a challenge. Amaranth and quinoa flours were evaluated for use as alternative binders to corn-starch. Proximate composition, functional and thermal properties of the flours were determined. Water holding capacity (WHC) and cooking losses of the sausages made with the flours as binders were also evaluated. To determine acceptability, sensory evaluation was carried out using a 9-point hedonic scale. Flours showed a significant difference (p