Abstract
In quinoa, saponins are found predominantly on the outside of the seeds. Saponins are triterpenoid glucosides that have diverse structures. Over 90 different saponins have been identified in quinoa seed hulls. They are bitter in taste and produce foam, which make them undesirable for human consumption. Their function in quinoa seeds is poorly understood. In this chapter, we provide an overview of these diverse compounds, their structure, and biosynthesis. We provide an overview of techniques for detection and quantification of saponins. We discuss their potential biological roles, from antifungal and anti-herbivory activity to their impact on germination and stress tolerance. Finally, we explore traditional and commercial methods for saponin removal from grain prior to consumption, breeding programs to reduce or alter saponin content, and the use of saponin waste as a novel bioproduct. While there is still much more to investigate regarding quinoa saponins, this work summarises the current knowledge and provides a basis for future studies.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Berin Boughton and Dinaiz Thinagaran, University of Melbourne (Australia) for providing the Imaging-MS pictures; Gabriele Fiene, KAUST (Saudi Arabia), for images of quinoa cleaning; David Jarvis, Brigham Young University (USA), and Ohoud Mohammed Eid Alharbi, KAUST (Saudi Arabia), for providing SEM pictures; and Najeh Kharbatia, KAUST (Saudi Arabia), for providing the GC-MS chromatogram. SMS received funding from the Ministry for Science, Research and Art of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany (Az: 75533-30-20/1).
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Otterbach, S., Wellman, G., Schmöckel, S.M. (2021). Saponins of Quinoa: Structure, Function and Opportunities. In: Schmöckel, S.M. (eds) The Quinoa Genome. Compendium of Plant Genomes. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65237-1_8
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