Effect of Magnetized Water on Physicochemical and Antioxidant Properties of Sprouted Quinoa Powder

Abstract

Quinoa is a gluten-free pseudocereal rich in high-quality protein, fiber, and essential nutrients, offering notable health benefits. Sprouting of grains enhances their nutritional profile by increasing the bioavailability of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants while also reducing antinutritional factors. Magnetized water and magnetic fields are emerging as novel approaches to enhance production efficiency and improve the sprouting performance and quality of cereal grains. This study compares the effects of magnetized water and magnetic field exposure with those of untreated water (control) on the quality of sprouted quinoa powder. Seeds were soaked for 1 h in untreated or magnetized water (with or without magnetic field exposure). Sprouting was carried out at 25°C for 72 h. Exposure to the magnetic field enhanced mineral uptake and increased the ash content of the sprouted quinoa powder. The application of magnetic field treatment led to a significant increase in the acidity of sprouted quinoa powder, rising from 0.70% to 1.10% (p < 0.05). This enhancement in acidity was accompanied by a notable decrease in the pH value of the powder, which dropped from 6.15 to 5.96 (p < 0.05). Sprouting of quinoa significantly decreased the lightness parameter of the powder (p < 0.05), while the redness index increased due to increased enzymatic activity and nonenzymatic browning. The findings showed that employing the magnetic field treatment significantly increased the total phenolic content (TPC) of sprouted quinoa powder (p < 0.05). The TPCs of sprouted quinoa powder treated with untreated water, magnetized water, and magnetic field were 822.63, 830.49, and 891.54 μg gallic acid/g, respectively. The highest antioxidant capacity (AC) value was observed in the quinoa sprouts treated with a magnetic field; however, this increase was not statistically significant when compared to the other powder samples (p > 0.05). Overall, magnetic field treatment proved to be the most effective method for sprouting quinoa, as it significantly enhanced the TPC and AC of quinoa powder.