ECUADORIAN QUINOA (CHENOPODIUM QUINOA WILLD) FATTY ACIDS PROFILE

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the methyl esters fatty acids (FAMEs) profile of quinoa seeds (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) of a sample cultivated in Guaranda, Ecuador.Methods: Quinoa oil was obtained from quinoa seeds using the Soxhlet method. FAMEs identification and quantification were carried out using the gas chromatography (GC) with a mass spectrometry (MS), using the database Library NIST14.L to identify the fatty acids present in quinoa oil.Results: Quinoa oil from Ecuador was analyzed by GC-MS, to obtain four majoritarian fatty acids, palmitic acid (10.66%), oleic acid (24.70%), linoleic acid (62.47%), and linolenic acid (2.19%). Omega 6 was the most abundant fatty acid in quinoa oil. Quinoa oil has a good proportion of oleic acid and linoleic acid.Conclusions: Quinoa seeds present a good proportion of fatty acids. These seeds can be used in the food industry for different purposes to enjoy their fatty acids composition. Regular consumption of quinoa can improve health.