Washington State University researchers, led by Dr. Kevin Murphy, are growing new quinoa varieties and analyzing them for amino acid and micronutrient concentrations. The researchers are testing soil and nutrient management practices that enhance the crops’ nutritional values while also improving yield. Thousands of quinoa varieties are being evaluated in diverse soil types and unique environments.
Additionally, the research bridges gaps between agricultural scientists and human health scientists. The team is analyzing the impact of raw quinoa and quinoa-based food product consumption on human digestive health. The quinoa samples are being analyzed by a microbiome simulator that the WSU team is developing, and a human clinical trial will determine how quinoa’s nutrients are digested and impact health markers.
Dr. Murphy commented, “Our goal with this project is to use quinoa as a model crops species as we develop a research pipeline between plant breeders, soil scientists, food product developers and human health researchers with the goal of enhancing the health, nutrition and affordability of foods we eat every day.”
Pilot funding for the overall Enhancing Human Health project came from WSU’s Strategic Reallocation Research Projects, part of the university’s Grand Challenges initiative.