Characteristics and suitability of amaranth components in food biotechnology

• Authors: K. Januszewska-Jozwiak , J. Synowiecki
• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

Nutritional value of amaranth seed is mainly caused by lipids with a good ratio between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and high protein content with the essential amino acids composition better than that in FAO/WHO standard. Furthermore, the lack of gluten fraction makse the amaranth flour suitable for production of the dietetic food used during celiakia healing. Fractionation of amaranth meal into starch, lipids and protein components leads to the products useful in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. The advantageous property of amaranth starch is small granule size which brings about its suitability, e.g., for production of food thickeners, dusting powders for cosmetics as well as component of nonallergenic aerosols and biodegradable plastics. Usefulness of this starch is also due to low amylose content. Amaranth oil has been reported to contain relatively large amount of squalene which is used as an important ingredient in skin cosmetics and penetrants and can reduce serum cholesterol.

Keywords

EN

AMARANTHUS; NUTRITIONAL VALUE

Discipline

• BIOTECHNOLOGY: BIOTECHNOLOGY

• Publisher: Committee of Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Biotechnologia
• Year: 2008
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 89-102

Contributors

author

K. Januszewska-Jozwiak

author

J. Synowiecki

• Document Type: REVIEW
• Publication order reference: Jozef Synowiecki, Katedra Chemii Technologii i Biotechnologii Zywnosci, Wydzial Chemiczny, Politechnika Gdanska, ul. Gabriela Narutowicza 11/12, 80-952 Gdansk, Poland