Development of Powdered Beverage with Cushuro (<i>Nostoc commune</i>) Concentrated Protein and Quinoa (<i>Chenopodium quinoa</i>)

Abstract

The trend in protein consumption is towards plant-based foods, for this reason a powdered beverage with a balanced profile of essential amino acids was developed, combining two different sources of protein, cushuro (Nostoc commune) and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa). The cushuro is an ancient Andean cyanobacteria that grows over 3000 and 4000 m above sea level, and quinoa is an important Andean seed, and they are part of the basic diet of the Andean Peruvian population. The cushuro obtained from the region of Ancash-Peru was dried (60 °C, 18 h) and the flour was dissolved in 0.1 N HCl at 90 °C for 20 min to obtain a protein concentrate with 6.79% moisture, 0.16% fat, 71.03% protein, and good balance of essential amino acids. Quinoa flour presented 8.52% moisture, 4.84% fat, 12.90% protein, and essential amino acids such as phenylalanine, and lysine. Quinoa flour (65.45%), cushuro concentrated protein (4.76%), cocoa (17.85%), panela (11.90%), and stevia (0.05%), were mixed to obtain the powdered beverage. The results showed that powdered beverage presented an adequate balance of amino acids according to FAO/WHO, with 14.36% proteins, 72.53% carbohydrate, 5.19% fat, 716.6 mg/kg potassium, 319.8 mg/kg phosphorus, 139.2 mg/kg magnesium, 82.69 mg/100 g vitamin C, 1.49 µg/100 g vitamin B12, heavy metals below the detection evel (<0.050 mg/kg). The powdered beverage complied with the Peruvian legislation of the Healthy Law No. 30021 and with the microbiological requirements.

Keywords

• concentrated protein
• cushuro
• <i>Nostoc commune</i>
• quinoa
• beverage