Bitter compounds identified in quinoa seed
What it found
Lab tests found that triterpenoids, mainly phytolaccagenic acid derivatives, cause the bitter taste of quinoa seed.
A compound called mauritianin was also linked to bitterness for the first time.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Bitter compounds identified
Five compounds were identified from quinoa seed. Their dose-over-threshold factors ranged from 29.03 to 198.89.
Triterpenoids cause bitterness
The results confirmed that triterpenoids are responsible for the bitter taste in quinoa seed. Phytolaccagenic acid derivatives were the primary contributor.
Mauritianin and bitterness
A compound called kaempferol 3-O-(2", 6"-di-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-galactopyranoside, also known as mauritianin, was shown for the first time to be associated with the bitterness of quinoa.
What the authors conclude
“The results confirmed that triterpenoids are responsible for the bitter taste in quinoa seed, with phytolaccagenic acid derivatives being the primary contributor.”
Also in their conclusions
- They confirmed that triterpenoids are responsible for the bitter taste in quinoa seed, with phytolaccagenic acid derivatives being the primary contributor.
- They report that mauritianin was demonstrated for the first time to be associated with the bitterness of quinoa.
- They say this study could provide new insight into the bitter compound identification in quinoa.
How it was done
Quinoa has nutritional components and potential health benefits, but its bitter taste limits its use in food products. Saponins were thought to be the main cause of bitterness, but it was still uncertain which specific compound was responsible.
The researchers isolated compounds from quinoa seed using solvent extraction and various column chromatography techniques, guided by sensory evaluation. They identified five compounds using mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This was a lab study on quinoa seed extracts. It cannot show how bitter these compounds taste to people eating quinoa.
- The study identified compounds linked to bitterness but did not test whether removing them changes how quinoa tastes in meals.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
- Authors work at
- Biotechnology Research Institute, China; Inner Mongolia University, China; Shanxi University, China
The paper
- Title
- Key phytochemicals contributing to the bitterness of quinoa
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Guo H, Wang S, Liu C, et al (2024). Key phytochemicals contributing to the bitterness of quinoa. Food chemistry. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139262PubMed 38608613DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error