Fractionation of seeds or grains

Abstract

Latin - American crops include a wide variety of vegetable species such as quinoa, kañiwa, maize, amaranth, chia, Sacha inchi, and legumes, which present a growing interest for consumers due to their impact in health and nutrition. The application of processing technologies on seeds and grains is due to the separation of the main components according to their specific characteristics. The influence of the operative conditions on different types of milling, conventional and emergent methodologies of oil extraction, production of different flours, and the isolation of proteins, insoluble and soluble dietary fiber and starches are extensively summarized. The characterization of the different fractions in terms of their techno-functional properties was also described for each crop. This chapter provides information of interest that contributes to the revaluation of these species and the improvement of the final quality of food products.