Format:
5 kg bag
25 kg bag
Harinas Polo Quinoa Grain: Technical Evaluation and Processing Impact in the Food Industry.
In the development of next-generation baked products, pseudocereals have gained undisputed prominence due to their excellent profile of essential amino acids and their versatility in dough texturing processes. Harinas Polo's Quinoa Grain is consolidated as a selected, high-quality premium raw material, originating from Bolivia or Peru.
Its key distinguishing feature lies in the fact that it is supplied in a raw yet mechanically washed state, drastically removing the bitter saponins from the outer hull. Its application in processing is flexible, allowing for either direct inclusion in the dough or surface application as a coating or topping, with no minimum or maximum percentage recommended by the manufacturer. As a pure agricultural product, it exhibits a characteristic ivory-white color and typical aroma and flavor, subject to slight natural variations depending on the geographical origin of cultivation and seasonal weather conditions.
Features and Functionalities for Professionals:
Chromatic Trilogy:
White Quinoa: Milder in flavor and delicate in texture. Ideal for incorporating into the crumb without significantly altering the bread's color.
Red Quinoa: Retains its structure better after baking. It provides a vibrant visual contrast and a slightly firmer texture.
Black Quinoa: The crunchiest variety, with the earthiest flavor. Perfect for high-end garnishes and breads with rustic crusts.
Complete Protein Profile: Contains all essential amino acids, allowing the industry to claim "high protein" or "source of protein" on the final label.
Baking Stability: The quinoa grain withstands high temperatures without losing its properties, maintaining a pleasant crunch that surprises the consumer.
Physicochemical Parameters, Degree of Purity, and Sanitary Control.
The structural and analytical properties of White Quinoa meet rigorous internal acceptance standards to ensure optimal performance on automated lines:
Strict Botanical Purity: The product guarantees an index of purity >99.98%, restricting impurities of plant origin to a maximum residual margin of just >0.02%.
Structural Moisture Control: Establishes a technical maximum limit of >14.0% (with an actual analytical average of 10.5 g per 100 g), a key threshold for maintaining grain flowability in dosing systems and preventing fungal growth.
Macronutritional composition: The technical specification ensures a concentration of protein >11.0% (analytically averaging 14.0 g per 100 g) and a lipid fraction or >7.0% (with an actual average of 6.10 g). Total ash is bounded below >3.5% (actual value of 2.30 g).
Nutritional Analysis (100g).
The nutritional profile based on our high-purity quinoa seed is detailed below:
| Component Analytical | Average value per 100 g | Functionality and Impact on Rheological Mapping |
| Fats | 6.10 g | Moderate lipid content rich in native unsaturated fatty acids. |
| Saturated | 0.70 g | Highly stable fraction with minimal saturated fatty acid content. |
| Monounsaturated | 1.60 g | Essential monounsaturated fatty acids from quinoa. |
| Polyunsaturated | 3.30 g | Native polyunsaturated lipids (linoleic and linolenic acids). |
| Trans | < 0.10 g | Free from industrially produced trans fatty acids. |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 3.0 g | Native linoleic acid that enhances the biological value of the baked product. |
| Carbohydrates | 57.10 g | Major component. Source of small-granule starch. |
| Of which sugars | 1.30 g | Minimal simple sugars, ideal for a controlled Maillard reaction. |
| Fiber | 7.0 g | Insoluble and soluble dietary fiber that optimizes the digestibility of the bread. |
| Proteins | 14.0 g | Plant-based protein of high biological value (contains all essential amino acids). |
| Ashes | 2.30 g | Total minerals retained after mechanical washing of the grain. |
| Water (Moisture) | 10.5 g | Balanced moisture level to ensure industrial flowability. |
| Vitamin E | – | Not declared / Trace levels naturally present in quinoa. |
| Salt / Sodium Equivalent | < 0.025 g / < 0.01 g | Negligible presence of sodium naturally occurring in the plant. |
| ENERGY VALUE | 354 Kcal / 1498 KJ | Official energy density required for the development of the final labeling. |
Technical note: The energy calculation for quinoa is:
Advantages of choosing Harinas Polo as your supplier:
"Saponin-Free" Guarantee: Our quinoa undergoes a technical washing and drying process that minimizes saponin content (the bitter coating), ensuring a sweet, pleasant flavor without the need for further processing in your facility.
Optical Sorting and Purity: Just like our premium seeds, the quinoa undergoes optical sorting that guarantees the absence of immature grains or foreign matter.
Dual Certification: We offer the assurance of audited processes, providing our clients with the raw materials needed for their BIO/ECO and food safety certifications.
Quinoa grains naturally produce glycosidic molecules known as saponins in their pericarp, which serve as a biological defense system against birds and insects. Saponins have an intensely bitter and astringent taste and act as natural surfactants that create foam upon contact with water. Harinas Polo’s certification of mechanical washing at the source indicates that the grain has undergone friction and scarification processes to remove this protective layer. From a technical standpoint, this is critical for the baking industry, as it prevents residual bitter notes from appearing in the bread crumb and ensures a clean, pleasant flavor profile for the final consumer, eliminating the need for pre-washing at the bakery.
Quinoa starch is composed of extremely small granules (with an average diameter of 1 to 3 microns), which are significantly smaller than those of wheat or corn starch. In bread-making processes, this microscopic size allows for highly efficient and uniform water absorption during kneading. During baking, these small granules gelatinize evenly, and during the subsequent cooling phase, they exhibit a notably slower rate of retrogradation compared to starch from traditional cereals. Industrially, this translates to prolonged internal moisture retention in the bread, naturally delaying crumb hardening (staling) and extending the commercial shelf life of the baked product.
