Nutritional and antinutritional composition of Kancolla seeds: an interesting and underexploited andine food plant

The quality of Kancolla seeds, a sweet variety of quinoa, an underexploited food plant, was determined by measuring proximate composition (carbohydrate, lipid, protein, fibre, essential amino acids and minerals), antinutritional factors (anions) and phytoecdysteroids. The results show that the kancolla seeds are nutritionally interesting and differ from other quinoa varieties, mainly in fibre and mineral contents. Results suggest a major alimentary use of kancolla seeds. They have promising economic value. The challenge is to find ways to incorporate them into existing food products, as well as to create new products from them. (c) 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.