Quinoa, Chenopodium quinoa Willd., is an Amaranthacean, stress-tolerant plant cultivated along the Andes for the last 7000 years, challenging highly different environmental conditions ranging from Bolivia, up to 4.500 m of altitude, to sea level, in Chile. Its grains have higher nutritive value than traditional cereals and it is a promising worldwide cultivar for human consumption and nutrition. The quinoa has been called a pseudo-cereal for botanical reasons but also because of its unusual composition and exceptional balance between oil, protein and fat. The quinoa is an excellent example of 'functional food' that aims at lowering the risk of various diseases. Functional properties are given also by minerals, vitamins, fatty acids and antioxidants that can make a strong contribution to human nutrition, particularly to protect cell membranes, with proven good results in brain neuronal functions. Its minerals work as cofactors in antioxidant enzymes, adding higher value to its rich proteins. Quinoa also contains phytohormones, which offer an advantage over other plant foods for human nutrition.

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Effect of air temperature on drying kinetics, vitamin C, antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content (TPC), colour due to non-enzymatic browning (NEB) and firmness during drying of blueberries was studied. Drying curves were satisfactorily simulated with the Weibull model at 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90°C. The scale parameter (β) decreased as air temperature increased and an activation energy value of 57.85 kJ mol −1 was found. Important losses of vitamin C were reported during drying for all the working temperatures (p<0.05). Although TPC decreased as air-drying temperature increased (p<0.05) in comparison to its initial value, the dehydration at high temperatures (e.g., 90°C) presented high values for these antioxidant components. Discoloration due to NEB reaction was observed at all the working temperatures showing a maximum value at 90°C (p<0.05). The radical scavenging activity showed higher antioxidant activity at high temperatures (80 and 90°C) than at low temperatures (50, 60 and 70°C) (p<0.05). A tissue firmness reduction was observed with increasing temperature (p<0.05).

This study explored the diversity of the quinoa crop in Chile from a nutritional perspective. Nutritional properties, minerals, vitamins, and saponin content were assessed in seeds of six Chilean quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) ecotypes grown in three main production areas with distinctive climatic and edaphic conditions: Ancovinto and Cancosa in the NorthAltiplano or High Plateau, Cáhuil and Faro in the central coastal area, and Regalona and Villarrica in the south of the country. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in all the nutritional properties of the quinoa seeds in all three areas. Quinoa of the Villarrica ecotype showed the highest protein content (16.10 g 100 g -1 DM) and the highest content of vitamins E and C (4.644 ± 0.240 and 23.065 ± 1.119 mg 100 g -1 DM, respectively). The highest content of vitamins B1 (0.648 ± 0.006 mg 100 g -1 DM) and B3 (1.569 ± 0.026 mg 100 g -1 DM) was found in the Regalona ecotype, while the highest value of vitamin B2 (0.081 ± 0.002 mg 100 g -1 DM) occurred in the Ancovinto ecotype. Potassium was the most abundant mineral with a maximum value of 2325.56 mg 100 g -1 DM in the Cancosa ecotype. Saponin content varied from 0.84 g 100 g -1 DM in the Villarrica ecotype to 3.91 g 100 g -1 DM in the Cáhuil ecotype. Significant differences were found among the Chilean quinoa ecotypes grown under different climatic conditions; however, all the quinoa seeds exhibited a high nutritional value. These results are compatible with the genetic differences previously observed in the three geographical areas under study. Thus, if more studies are conducted to show the particular properties of quinoa from specific areas, it would be possible in the future to coin the term "controlled designation of origin" (appellation d'origine contrôlée) and add commercial value to Chilean quinoa seeds in the domestic and international markets.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) in Chile represents a source of germplasm with high nutritional value. However, there is little information available related to quinoa seed quality grown under contrasting environments. In this study we evaluated the changes on seed composition of seeds of two lowland/coastal quinoa genotypes grown under arid (Vicuña) and cold-temperate (Temuco) conditions in Chile. Results showed that in the case of 'Regalona Baer' and 'Villarrica' genotypes the arid location (with irrigation) led to a significant increase (P < 0.05) in grain yield (4.2 and 5.1 t ha -1 , respectively), soluble dietary fiber (16.8 ± 0.4 and 28.9 ± 2.1 g kg -1 DM, respectively), vitamin B3 (2.44 ± 0.005 and 2.26 ± 0.04 mg 100 g -1 DM, respectively), saponins (3.22 ± 0.38 mg 100 g -1 DM, 'Regalona Baer'), phenolic compounds (19.2 ± 5.48 and 31.92 ± 1.14 mg gallic acid 100 g -1 DM, respectively) and components of proximate analysis, except protein content. The cold-temperate climate (rainfed) affected positively seed size (2.22 ± 0.17 mm 'Villarrica') and 1000 seed weight (3.08 ± 0.08 and 3.29 ± 0.08 g, respectively), as well as insoluble dietary fiber content (112.3 ± 23.8 g kg -1 DM, 'Regalona Baer'). Furthermore, vitamin C was higher in 'Regalona Baer' genotype at arid locality (31.22 ± 4.2 mg 100 g -1 DM), but much higher content was registered in 'Villarrica' genotype at cold-temperate climate (49.3 ± 5.36 mg 100 g -1 DM). The environment-induced relationship among variables and genotypes was consistent with principal component analysis (PCA). The arid region of Vicuña in Chile represents a potential area for quinoa cultivation for lowland/coastal quinoa genotypes, whose nutritional and functional features were affected positively, due to the much more stressing climatic conditions.

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