Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willdenow) seeds: chemical composition and processing. Aspects related to other areas

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a crop with high potential to contribute to food security in all world regions. The crop has a remarkable adaptability to different agroecological regions and altitudinal gradient. While the main producers are Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, quinoa production is expanding to other continents and it is currently being cultivated in several countries. The crop is not cultivated in Venezuela. Quinoa seed is recognized as nutritious, thanks to both quantity and quality of its protein content, especially its high content of lysine, as well as its content of iron, potasium, vitamins B2, B6 and E, among others constituents. Quinoa has a variety of uses in food processing industry. In this work, information was compiled from the literature which was reviewed, in order to provide an overview on chemical composition and processing of seeds of quinoa. New research has reaffirmed the quantity and quality of its chemical components and new phytochemicals have been discovered. The development and technological innovation has added value to quinoa.