Ingredients of High Nutritional Value Obtained from LatinAmerican Crops through Biotechnology

Abstract

This chapter includes novel studies regarding the application of three bioprocesses -fermentation, germination and bioactive peptides production- in Latin American grains/seeds of interest (quinoa, amaranth, kañiwa, maize, black turttle bean, tarwi, chia and sacha inchi). Fermentation is a traditional complex process where microorganisms produce metabolites of nutritional and technological importance, such as vitamins, antioxidants and exopolysaccharides, among others. Germination is another economical biotechnology which improves protein digestibility, increases soluble sugars, free fatty acids and antioxidant compounds (phenolic acids, γ-Aminobutyric acid, tocopherols), and decreases some anti-nutritional compounds (saponins in quinoa and black bean, phytic acid in maize, and alkaloids in tarwi). Regarding bioactive peptides obtention, enzymatic hydrolysis can be easily regulated; however, chemical hydrolysis, lactic fermentation and germination also have relevant results in studied crops, especially in amaranth. These include bioactivity determination of hydrolysates from whole protein and fractions, in which peptides with marked activity (antioxidant, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, anti-cholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory) have been isolated. Latin American crops are excellent raw materials for the development of bio and techno-functional compounds through the bioprocesses discussed in this chapter, and studies of optimal production conditions will guarantee promising quality compounds.