Its already a protein-packed ancient grain beloved by foodies. Now scientists say theyve mapped the genome of quinoa, potentially unlocking a way to mass produce at prices that could help feed the worlds hungry. <\/p>\n
By tinkering with the genetic makeup of the plant, a team of researchers based out of King Abdullah University in Saudi Arabia say its possible to grow a strain of quinoa thats easier to process. In doing so, scientists hope the cost of the grain could one day be comparable to wheat. <\/p>\n
Most quinoa on the market is grown in South Americatypically Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador. For decades it was a quiet crop, the food of peasants around the Andean mountains. But that changed sometime around 2006, when its categorization as a superfood by some in the nutrition sphere sparked a craze in Europe and the US. In 2007, the US imported about 7 million pounds (3.2 million kg) of the grainwhich had skyrocketed to 70 million pounds by 2013, according to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center. <\/p>\n
In that same period, the price of quinoa tripled. The prices fell slightly (paywall) in 2015, the result of a better supply-demand balance, but it still remains a nutritious food mostly cordoned of to the middle classes. <\/p>\n
Eventually, researchers hope to discover ways to grow the grain with a stockier plant that wont fall over as easily as it does currently and find ways to grow it in different climates. The grain naturally contains a toxic compound called saponins, a bitter component of quinoa seeds thats used by the plant to ward off predators. <\/p>\n
But by finding a way to grow the plant without its saponins, scientists say the seeds will taste sweeter and companies can spend less money and time removing the compound. <\/p>\n
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\nScientists have mapped the genome for quinoa, potentially making the superfood super cheap - Quartz<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"