FOOD COMPOSITIONS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a food com- position and a method for preparing the food composi- tion. The disclosure also relates to use of a bacteri- al strain.

BACKGROUND

The use of various plant materials as a source of nutrition is constantly increasing due to their beneficial health benefits and lower carbon footprint. People suffering from celiac disease or wheat intolerance may further benefit from food products prepared from plant materials which are gluten-free .

Fermentation with probiotic bacteria is often used to increase the health effects of plant-based food products. Products may include spoonable products, milk and other beverages as well as baked products, such as bread. Challenges in the preparation of these products may lie in obtaining a good taste and, especially for bread, a fluffy texture that produces a satisfactory mouthfeel. Thus, there may be a need for improved compositions and production methods .

SUMMARY

A food composition prepared from quinoa material and optionally at least one other gluten-free plant material is disclosed, wherein the amount of quinoa material in the composition is at least 1% (w/w) .

A method for producing a food composition is disclosed, wherein the method comprises: a) forming a mixture comprising quinoa mate- rial, optionally at least one other gluten-free plant material and water or an aqueous solution, wherein the amount of the quinoa material is at least 1% (w/w) ; and

b) fermenting the mixture with at least one fermenting organism.

A food composition obtainable by the method described in the present application is disclosed.

Use of Lactobacillus plantarum strain DSM 33007 for balancing gut microbiota is disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the embodiments and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various embodiments. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates the preparation of spoonable/drinkable products from quinoa material according to one embodiment of the present application .

Fig. 2 illustrates the preparation of bread or other baked products from quinoa material according to one embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 3 illustrates a bread prepared from quinoa material according to one embodiment of the present application comprising either clear (white) quinoa (white bread) or red quinoa (darker bread) .

Fig. 4 illustrates levels of lactic acid bacteria and enterobacteria in the feces of participants before consuming a probiotic quinoa smoothie, prepared according to one embodiment of the present application, during one month of consumption and two weeks after stopping the consumption of the smoothie. The groups sharing the superscript letter (within same bacteria) are significantly different (p<0.05) Fig. 5 illustrates levels of lactic acid bacteria and enterobacteria in the feces of participants before consuming a non-fermented quinoa smoothie, during one month of consumption and two weeks after stopping the consumption of the smoothie. No statistically significant differences were observed .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A food composition is disclosed.

A method for the preparation of a food composition is disclosed.

A food composition prepared from quinoa material and optionally at least one other gluten-free plant material is disclosed, wherein the amount of quinoa material in the composition is at least 1% (w/w) .

At least 50% (w/w) of the quinoa material may be quinoa material, in which the starch of the quinoa material contains 15% (w/w) or less of amylose. The starch of the quinoa material may contain, for exam- ple, 14% (w/w) or less, 12% (w/w) or less, 10% (w/w) or less, or 8% (w/w) or less, or 5% (w/w) or less of amylose; or for example 20% (w/w) or less, or 18% (w/w) or less, of amylose. The starch of the quinoa material may contain, for example, 1-15% (w/w) of am- ylose. In other words, up to 15% (w/w) of the starch contained by the quinoa material may be amylose. The rest of the starch of the quinoa material may be amy- lopectin, such that the amylose and the amylopectin together make up 100% of the starch of the quinoa ma- terial. The amount of the amylose may thus be calcu- lated on the basis of the total weight of the starch in said quinoa material.

At least 60% (w/w), or at least 70% (w/w), or at least 80% (w/w) , or at least 90% (w/w) , or at least 95% (w/w) , or 100% (w/w) of the quinoa material may comprise or be quinoa material, in which the starch of the quinoa material contains 15% (w/w) or less of am- ylose. The rest of the quinoa material is not particu- larly limited and may, in principle, be any other qui- noa material.

An example of such a quinoa material is Finn- ish quinoa available from the Raininko farm in Lieto (farmer registration number 0562212-4), in Finland, which may be referred to as "Raininko-type quinoa" in this specification. The Raininko-type quinoa is not fully characterized at present. It is commercially available. At least 50% (w/w), 60% (w/w), or at least 70% (w/w), or at least 80% (w/w), or at least 90% (w/w) , or at least 95% (w/w) , or 100% (w/w) of the quinoa material may comprise or be Raininko-type qui- noa. Other varieties or strains of quinoa having a low amylose content may be available and contemplated.

The amount of the amylose in the starch of the quinoa material may affect the consistency of the quinoa material. Quinoa material, strain or variety, the starch of which contains a low amount of amylose, may be considered to be "sticky" or glutinous, in a similar manner as for example a glutinous or sticky rice. Conversely, the starch of such quinoa material may comprise a relatively higher amount of amylopec- tin. Such quinoa material may also have other proper- ties that may affect the properties of the food compo- sition. It may also affect the taste of the quinoa ma- terial. The sticky quinoa may have a milder taste. The sticky quinoa may thus be better for a wider range of food products, in that it does not necessarily intro- duce a relatively strong and/or distinctive flavor of- ten perceived in quinoa material and in food products prepared from quinoa material. Further, as the taste of the quinoa material itself may be relatively mild, the taste of the food composition may be adjusted with flavouring agents.

The amylose content of the starch of the qui- noa material may also be higher. The starch of the quinoa material may contain, for example, up to 30% (w/w) of amylose. The starch of the quinoa material may contain up to 28, 25, 23, 20, 18, or 15% (w/w) of amylose. The starch of the quinoa material may contain 15-30% (w/w) of amylose. The quinoa material contain- ing starch with a higher amylose content may, in some cases, have beneficial effects on the food products. The quinoa material with a higher amylose content may for example, bind more water and thicken the texture of the food composition.

The amylose content of the starch of the qui- noa material may be measured e.g. using a colorimetric method, for example using an amylose/amylopectin assay kit for the measurement and analysis of amyl- ose/amylopectin ratio and content in cereal starches and flours. The colorimetric method may be based on a Con A precipitation procedure. Such a commercial kit is provided e.g. by Megazyme. The amylose content may also be measured using another colorimetric method based on the ISO standard ISO 6647:1987 (rice- determination of amylose content) . Other measuring methods, for example chromatographic methods, may be available .

The quinoa material, also regarding its amyl- ose content, may be selected e.g. depending on the in- tended food composition or product. For example, for spoonable or drinkable products, a low-amylose quinoa material may be particularly well suited, while for bread and/or other baked products the amylose content may, at least in some cases, not be as important.

The food composition may be a drinkable or spoonable composition, such as a drinkable or spoonable snack product. The amount of quinoa material and/or the at least one other gluten-free plant mate- rial may affect the fluidity of the food composition. The food composition may be a juice, smoothie or por- ridge .

The at least one other gluten-free plant material may be selected from the group of oat, corn, potato, cassava, rice, tapioca, amaranth, kiwicha, chia seed, millet, arrowroot, montina, sorghum, taro, teff, yam, buckwheat, lupin bean, kidney bean, pinto bean, adzuki bean, mung bean, black gram, rice bean, moth bean, fava bean, hemp material, and any mixture or combination thereof. The food composition may contain 1-99% (w/w) of the at least one other gluten- free plant material. The food composition may, for example, contain 1-75% (w/w) of the at least one other gluten-free plant material. The at least one other gluten-free plant material may affect the taste, colour and/or texture of the food composition. It may provide additional nutritional value to the food composition. The other gluten-free plant materials may further increase the protein, dietary fiber and/or starch content of the food composition. The other gluten-free plant materials may be easily available and thus convenient to be used in combination with quinoa material. They may further make the products more exotic and thus provide commercial benefits.

The quinoa material of the present applica- tion may comprise or be quinoa flour, flakes, grains, seeds, leaves, or any mixture or combination thereof. In an embodiment, the quinoa material is flour, flakes, and/or grains obtainable from quinoa seeds, and/or whole quinoa seeds.

In the context of this specification, the term "plant material" may be understood as referring to a part of a plant which is suitable for nutrition, i.e. edible, such as the seeds, fruits, tuber, root, flower, stem and/or leaves, depending on the plant in question .

Quinoa ( Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a pro- tein-rich, gluten-free plant material with high nutri- tional value. Quinoa is a good source of protein, cal- cium, iron, dietary fiber and minerals. Quinoa can be found from the Andean regions in South America. Quinoa is a crop that may be cultivated for its seeds that are the edible part of the plant. Quinoa is available as several different types, strains, and varieties.

The quinoa material may therefore comprise or be of a quinoa material of one or more strains, varieties or types of quinoa. The quinoa material may comprise or be white, red or black quinoa, or any mixture or com- bination thereof. The quinoa material may also have other colours. Hundreds of other quinoa varieties may exist, for example, Peruvian varieties, such as Blanca de Junin, Amarillo Marangani, INIA 420 Negra collada, Rosada de Huancayo, Salcedo INIA, Pasankalla, INIA 415 Pasankalla, Kankolla, INIA 431 Altiplano, Blanca de

Hualhuas, Blanca de Jerico or other varities, such as Colorado black shelly, Temuko, Red head, Brightest brilliant rainbow, Cherry vanilla, Dave 407, French vanilla, Mint vanilla, Oro de valley, Plenitude bicol- or K452. The selection of the variety may affect the taste and appearance of the product, such as colour. White, red and black quinoa are widely cultivated for example in the Andean region. Quinoa may also be cul- tivated in other parts of South America, in Europe, in Australia and in North America.

In an embodiment, the quinoa material com- prises or is red and/or black quinoa, and the food composition is bread or a baked product. The red or black quinoa, or a mixture thereof, may give the bread or baked product an appearance and optionally also a texture similar to dark bread. For example, the quinoa material may comprise or be at least 15%, or at least 20%, or at least 30%, or at least 40%, or at least

50%, or at least 60%, or at least 70%, or at least

80%, or at least 90%, or 100% red and/or black quinoa material based on the total weight of the quinoa mate- rial.

In an embodiment, the quinoa material com- prises or is white (or clear) quinoa, and the food composition is bread or a baked product. The white quinoa may give the bread or baked product an appear- ance and optionally also a texture similar to white bread. For example, the quinoa material may comprise or be at least 50%, or at least 60%, or at least 70%, or at least 80%, or at least 90%, or 100% white quinoa material based on the total weight of the quinoa mate- rial.

In an embodiment, the quinoa material com- prises or is a mixture of at least two of white, red or black quinoa. The proportions of the quinoa types in the mixture may be selected e.g. to provide a de- sirable appearance and/or texture.

The food composition may be a gelatinized food composition.

The food composition may be a fermented food composition .

The food composition may be a gelatinized and fermented food composition.

The food composition may be gluten-free.

The food composition may be probiotic. Probiotics are live microorganism which may have beneficial effects to the host organism. Probiotics may improve the gut health and thereby have a positive effects on the immune system. Probiotics are commonly consumed as part of fermented foods with specially added active live cultures, such as in yogurt, soy yogurt, or as dietary supplements. The food composition may comprise or be prepared using at least one fermenting organism which is probiotic.

The food composition may comprise or be pre- pared using at least one fermenting organism of a ge- nus selected from the group of Lactobacillus, Strepto- coccus, Bifidobacterium, Weissella , Leuconostoc, Pedi- ococcus, Lactococcus, Acetobacter, Gluconobacter, and any mixture or combination thereof. More specifically, the at least one fermenting organism may be selected from the group consisting of the species Lactobacillus (L.) bulgaricus, L. delbrueckii, L. delbrueckii sp . bulgaricus, L. acidophilus, Bifidobacterium (B . ) in- fantis, B. animalis sp. lactis, B. bifidum, B. longum, B. brevis, L. casei, L. fermentum, L. kefiri, L. gas- seri, L. helveticus, L. johnsonii , L. paracasei , L. plantarum, L. spicheri , L. reuteri , L. rhamnosus, L. salivarius, L. buchneri , L. graminis, L. corpophilus, L. sanfransiscensis, L. brevis, L. pentosus, L. linderi , L. corinoformis, L. hammesii , L. helveticus, L. paralimentarius, L. pontis, L. curvatus, L. ros- siae, L. kimchii, L. amylovorus, L. panis, Lactococcus (Lc.) lactis, Lc . lactis ssp. lactis, Lc . lactis ssp. cremoris, Leuconostoc (Le.) citreum, Le . mesen- teroides, Le . rafinolactis, Le . oenus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Pediococcus (P.) acidolactici , P. pento- saceus, Weissella (W.) cibaria, W. confusa, Acetobac- ter (A.) xylinum, A. intermedius, A. aceti, A. tropi- calis, A. pasteurianus, A. orleanensis, A. cervisiae, A. cerinus, A. intermedius, A. nitrogenifigents, Glu- conobacter (G.) oxydans, G. kombuchae, and any mixture or combination thereof.

The at least one fermenting organism may fur- ther comprise or be Lactobacillus plantarum, such as the Lactobacillus plantarum strain DSM 33007. This strain of bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum is deposit- ed under the Budapest Treaty by the University of Eastern Finland with the accession number DSM 33007 (identification reference given by the depositor: Lac- tobacillus plantarum Q823) . In other words, both the identification reference Q823 and the accession number DSM 33007 refer to the same strain. The strain was re- ceived by the Depositary Authority Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cul- tures ( Inhoffenstr . 7 B, D-38124 Braunschweig, Germa- ny) on 23.01.2019. The strain was deposited by the University of Eastern Finland.

The strain DSM 33007 has probiotic proper- ties. It has been isolated from quinoa material. It does not show any resistance to nine antibiotics (gen- tamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin, erythromycin, chlo- ramphenicol, tetracycline, ampicillin, clindamycin and vancomycin) . It shows good tolerance to lysozyme and to bile and has a good adhesion capacity to Caco-2 cells. It is also capable of in vivo colonization, and is able to survive and persist in human subjects at detectable levels in the gastrointestinal tract for at least 7 days after the end of administration. Further details of its characterization are described in Vera- Pingitore et al . , 2016, LWT - Food Science and Tech- nology 71, 288-294.

The strain DSM 33007 is capable of fermenting the following carbohydrates: LARA, RIB, GAL, GLU, FRU, MNE, MAN, SOR, MDM, NAG, AMY, ARB, SAL, CEL, MAL, LAC, MEL, SAC, TRE, MLZ , RAF, GEN, TUR, GNT . It is not ca- pable of fermenting the following carbohydrates: DXYL, TAG, 5KG .

The strain DSM 33007 has antifungal activity. It has been tested against the molds Aspergillus ory- zae ATCC 66222 and ATCC 1011. Quinoa bread prepared using the strain DSM 33007 also has an improved shelf life and reduced mold growth compared to non-fermented breads . Use of the Lactobacillus plantarum strain DSM 33007 may be beneficial for balancing gut microbiota. This may be especially beneficial for the drinkable and spoonable food compositions. Use of the Lactoba- cillus plantarum strain DSM 33007 for balancing gut microbiota is thus also disclosed. In an embodiment, the use is non-therapeutic . The strain DSM 33007 may be provided in the form of a drinkable and/or spoonable food composition, for example a composition described in this specification.

The Lactobacillus plantarum strain DSM 33007 for use in balancing gut microbiota is also disclosed.

Fermenting organisms, for example, lactic ac- id bacteria, such as Lactobacillus plantarum strain DSM 33007, may be exopolysaccharide producing. Exopol- ysaccharides are biodegradable polymers that have high molecular weight. Exopolysaccharides produced by lac- tic acid bacteria may have beneficial health effects. They may also be advantageous in fermented food prod- ucts as thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers and gel- ling or water-binding agents. In baked food products, such as bread, exopolysaccharide production may help the dough rise and/or otherwise improve the texture of the product .

The food composition may comprise one or more flavouring agents, such as one or more fruits, vegeta- bles, berries, flavourings, aromas, sugar, herbs, and/or spices. The food composition may further com- prise other added substances, such as vitamins, addi- tional proteins and/or other additives. The flavouring agent may be in a form of a puree and/or jam. The fla- vouring agents and added substances may improve the taste of the food composition. The flavouring agents or other added substances may further increase the nu- tritional value of the food composition.

The food composition may be bread or a baked product. The baked product may be, for example, a bun, muffin, biscuit, cookie, bread roll, cracker, bagel and/or a pastry. The quinoa material comprising at least 50% (w/w) , or 50-75% (w/w) , of the clear quinoa material may be used for the production of white bread if the other quinoa varieties are coloured. The quinoa material comprising at least 15% (w/w) of the red qui- noa may be used for the production of darker bread if the other quinoa varieties included as the quinoa ma- terial are white.

The food composition may comprise one or more additional source of starch, such as potato flour. The additional sources of starch may help to increase the tenderness of the bread.

The food composition may comprise or be pre- pared using at least one yeast species of a genus se- lected from the group of Saccharomyces, Debaryomyces, Pichia , Candida , Issatchenkia , Dekkera , Torulaspora , Schizosaccharomyces, Zygosaccharomyces, Brettanomyces, and any mixture or combination thereof. More specifi- cally, the at least one yeast species may be selected from the group of consisting the species Saccharomyces (S.) cerevisiae, S. exiguous, S. bayanus, S. uvarum, S. servazii , S. bisporus, S. ludwigii , Debaryomyces Hansenii, Pichia (P.) deserticola, P. anomala, P. kudriavzevii , P. scaptomyzae, P. membranefaciens, Can- dida (C.) ethanolica, (C.) humilis, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, C. guilliermondii , C. tropicalis, C. ru- gopelliculosa , C. pseudolambica , C. famata, C. obutsa, C. colleculosa , C. kefyr, C. milleri , Issatchenkia orientalis, Dekkera bruxellensis, Torulaspora del- brueckii , Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Zygosaccharomyces (Z.) rouxii, Z. bailii, Z. kombuchaensis, Z. lentus, Brettanomyces (B.) intermedius, B. bruxellensis, B. claussenii, and any mixture or combination thereof.

The food composition may comprise or be pre- pared using, additionally or alternatively, at least one mold species. The mold species may be selected from the group of consisting the species Aspergillus oryzae and Rhizopus oligosporus .

The method for producing a food composition may comprise:

a) forming a mixture comprising quinoa materi- al and optionally at least one other glu- ten-free plant material and water or an aqueous solution, wherein the amount of the quinoa material is at least 1% (w/w) ; and b) fermenting the mixture with at least one fermenting organism.

The quinoa material may comprise or be quinoa flour, flakes, grains, seeds, leaves, or any mixture or combination thereof. The quinoa material may be any material described anywhere in this specification. The method may be suitable for various plant materials.

The at least one other gluten-free plant ma- terial may be selected from the group of oat, corn, potato, cassava, rice, tapioca, amaranth, kiwicha, chia seed, millet, arrowroot, montina, sorghum, taro, teff, yam, buckwheat, lupin bean, kidney bean, pinto bean, adzuki bean, mung bean, black gram, rice bean, moth bean, fava bean, hemp material, and any mixture or combination thereof.

The aqueous solution may comprise or be wa- ter. The aqueous solution may further comprise salts, such as NaCl and/or other salts. The aqueous solution may be suitable for human consumption.

Quinoa seeds contain saponins that may be beneficial for plant growth. However, they may be hae- molytic and may produce a bitter taste. Thus, the qui- noa material comprising quinoa seeds may be washed be- fore use to remove the saponins at least partially. The quinoa seeds, flakes, leaves and/or grains may need to be subjected to a mechanical treatment to re- duce particle size before applying the method. The me- chanical treatment may be, for example, grinding, milling or crushing.

The mixture may be gelatinized. To gelatinize the mixture, it may be heated to a sufficient tempera- ture, for example to a temperature of at least 50 °C, or at least 70 °C . The gelatinization is a process in which the starch and water contained in the mixture are exposed to heat. This may cause starch in the mix- ture to swell, absorb water and form a gelatinous or gel-like structure. The higher the starch content of the mixture the higher temperature may be needed in order for the gelatinization to occur. The gelatiniza- tion may improve the texture of the food composition. The gelatinization may further improve the taste of the food composition. Quinoa may have a distinct taste. The method for preparing the food composition and/or the properties of the quinoa material may im- prove the taste of the food composition. Gelatiniza- tion may thus reduce the distinct taste of quinoa and make the taste milder.

The mixture may be pasteurized. In some em- bodiments, the gelatinization and pasteurization may be performed simultaneously, i.e. in a single step.

The mixture may be gelatinized/pasteurized at a temperature of 50-150 °C . The mixture may further be gelatinized and/or pasteurized at a temperature of 70- 100 °C or 100-150 °C . The mixture may be gelatinized and/or pasteurized for 1-20 minutes. Gelatinization and pasteurization may occur when a composition is heat treated. The heat treatment may occur at a lower temperature when the duration of the treatment is longer. A higher temperature may require a shorter treatment duration. Pasteurization is a heat treatment intended to destroy pathogenic microorganisms in cer- tain foods and beverages. Pasteurization may thus re- move harmful microorganism from the mixture. The mixture may be fermented for 4-72 hours. The mixture may further be fermented for 12-24, 24-48, or 48-60 hours. The mixture may also be fermented for one or two weeks. The mixture may be fermented at a temperature of 20-50 °C . The mixture may be fermented at a temperature of 20-30 °C, 30-40 °C, or 40-50 °C . Fermentation of the quinoa material with a fermenting organism, such as lactic acid bacteria, may enhance the beneficial features of the food compositions such as taste and may increase their health effects. Fer- mentation may lower the pH of the food composition. Fermentation may also extend the shelf-life of the food product.

The at least one fermenting organism may com- prise or be at least one fermenting organism of a ge- nus selected from the group of Lactobacillus, Strepto- coccus, Bifidobacterium, Weissella , Leuconostoc, Pedi- ococcus, Lactococcus, Acetobacter, Gluconobacter, and any mixture or combination thereof. More specifically, the at least one fermenting organism may be selected from the group consisting of the species Lactobacillus (L.) bulgaricus, L. delbrueckii, L. delbrueckii sp . bulgaricus, L. acidophilus, Bifidobacterium (B . ) in- fantis, B. animalis sp. lactis, B. bifidum, B. longum, B. brevis, L. casei, L. fermentum, L. kefiri, L. gas- seri, L. helveticus, L. johnsonii , L. paracasei , L. plantarum, L. spicheri , L. reuteri , L. rhamnosus, L. salivarius, L. buchneri , L. graminis, L. corpophilus, L. sanfransiscensis, L. brevis, L. pentosus, L. linderi , L. corinoformis, L. hammesii , L. helveticus, L. paralimentarius, L. pontis, L. curvatus, L. ros- siae, L. kimchii, L. amylovorus, L. panis, Lactococcus (Lc.) lactis, Lc . lactis ssp. lactis, Lc . lactis ssp. cremoris, Leuconostoc (Le.) citreum, Le . mesen- teroides, Le . rafinolactis, Le . oenus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Pediococcus (P.) acidolactici , P. pento- saceus, Weissella (W.) cibaria, W. confuse, Acetobac- ter (A.) xylinum, A. intermedius, A. aceti, A. tropi- calis, A. pasteurianus, A. orleanensis, A. cervisiae, A. cerinus, A. intermedius, A. nitrogenifigents, Glu- conobacter (G.) oxydans, G. kombuchae, and any mixture or combination thereof. The at least one fermenting organism may comprise or be Lactobacillus plantarum, such as the Lactobacillus plantarum strain DSM 33007.

The mixture may be inoculated with a ferment- ing organism or organisms. Inoculation may be under- stood as introducing cells or organisms into a culture medium. The exact amount of the at least one ferment- ing organism may be selected e.g. depending on the fermenting organism, the composition of the mixture and/or the food composition to be produced. The mix- ture may contain, for example, 0.01-10% (w/w) of the fermenting organism. The mixture may further contain 0.1-1% (w/w) or 1-5% (w/w) of the fermenting organism. Some fermenting organisms may have better properties than others, at least for certain purposes. The fer- menting organism, the mixture and/or the desired food composition may affect the selection of the fermenting conditions .

The at least one fermenting organism may be probiotic. Probiotic bacteria should survive the pas- sage through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in order to provide health benefits. The fermenting organism may further affect the processing abilities and nutri- tional value of fermented food compositions.

The fermenting organism may be grown sepa- rately in a suitable medium, such as MRS broth, before use. The fermenting organism may be grown at a temper- ature of 30-37 °C . The fermenting organism may be grown for 24 hours. MRS broth is a medium well suited for the enrichment and isolation of many Lactobacillus species from various types of materials. The ferment- ing organism may also be added as a lyophilized pow- der . The method may be suitable for the prepara- tion of various food compositions or food products. The food composition may be a drinkable or spoonable composition, such as a drinkable or spoonable snack product or other drinkable and/or spoonable product.

The method may further comprise adding one or more flavouring agents to the mixture, such as fruits, vegetables, berries, flavourings, aromas, sugar, herbs, and/or spices. The flavouring agent may be in a form of a puree and/or jam. The mixture may contain 5- 50% (w/w) of the flavouring agents. The mixture may, for example, contain a 10-20% (w/w) or 20-40% (w/w) of the flavouring agents.

The food composition may be bread or a baked product .

The food composition may be gluten-free.

For baked food products, such as bread, fer- mentation and optionally gelatinization of the quinoa material may improve the texture and the taste of the bread. Fermentation of the quinoa material may produce a spongy and fluffy texture for the bread or other baked product. The gelatinization may also improve the texture and/or the taste of the bread or baked prod- uct. However, in some embodiments, the gelatinization may not be necessary.

The method may further comprise adding non- fermented quinoa flour into the fermented mixture. This may be desired e.g. if the mixture has been fer- mented for a relatively long time. The non-fermented quinoa may then be used to "neutralize" the fermented mixture, i.e. to provide a mixture that has effective- ly been fermented to a desired extent.

The method may further comprise adding at least one yeast into the fermented mixture and allow- ing the mixture to rise. In other words, the at least one yeast may be added to leaven the bread or baked product. The yeast may produce carbon dioxide by me- tabolizing the starches of the mixture. The carbon di- oxide may inflate the air bubbles formed in the mix- ture causing the bread or baked product to rise. The selection of the at least one yeast may also affect the composition and/or texture of the bread or baked product. The at least one yeast may comprise or be a yeast species selected from the group of Saccharomy- ces, Debaryomyces, Pichia , Candida , Issatchenkia , Dek- kera, Torulaspora , Schizosaccharomyces, Zygosaccharo- myces, Brettanomyces, and any mixture or combination thereof. More specifically, the at least one yeast species may be selected from the group of consisting the species Saccharomyces (S.) cerevisiae, S. exigu- ous, S. bayanus, S. uvarum, S. servazii , S. bisporus, S. ludwigii, Debaryomyces Hansenii, Pichia (P.) deser- ticola, P. anomala , P. kudriavzevii , P. scaptomyzae, P. membranefaciens, Candida (C.) ethanolica, (C.) hu- milis, C. glabrata , C. parapsilosis, C. guillier- mondii, C. tropicalis, C. rugopelliculosa , C. pseu- dolambica , C. famata, C. obutsa, C. colleculosa , C. kefyr, C. milleri , Issatchenkia orientalis, Dekkera bruxellensis, Torulaspora delbrueckii , Schizosaccharo- myces pombe, Zygosaccharomyces (Z.) rouxii, Z. bailii, Z. kombuchaensis, Z. lentus, Brettanomyces (B.) inter- medius, B. bruxellensis, B. claussenii, and any mix- ture or combination thereof. The mixture may contain, for example, 0.1-4% (w/w) of the yeast species. The mixture may contain 0.5-1.5% (w/w) or 1.5-2.5% (w/w) of the yeast species. The yeasts may be activated in warm water. The activated yeasts may be added to the fermented mixture.

The method may further comprise, additionally or alternatively, adding at least one mold species in- to the mixture. The at least one mold species may be selected from the group of consisting the species As- pergillus oryzae and Rhizopus oligosporus . The mold species may be used for fermenting the quinoa materi- al . The mold species may improve the texture of the product and make it suitable for porridge-type of products .

The method may further comprise adding one or more additional sources of starch to the mixture. The source of starch may be a flour high in starch, such as potato flour. The one or more additional sources of starch may improve the texture of the bread and baked products and/or the processing ability of the mixture. It may further increase the nutritional value of the bread and baked products, such as vitamin and mineral content .

The method may further comprise adding salt, sugar and/or water to the mixture to form a dough. The dough may be mixed thoroughly. The dough may be added to a bread mold. The dough may be allowed to raise. The dough may then be baked. The dough/mixture may be baked, for example, from 30 min to 2 hours, but de- pending e.g. on the baked product, the baking time may also be shorter or possibly even longer. The dough/mixture may be baked at a temperature of 150-250 °C . The dough/mixture may be baked e.g. at a tempera- ture of 170-200 °C or 200-250 °C .

A food composition obtainable by the method according to one or more embodiments described in this specification is also disclosed.

EXAMPLES

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

The description below discloses some embodiments in such a detail that a person skilled in the art is able to utilize the embodiments based on the disclosure. Not all steps or features of the embodiments are discussed in detail, as many of the steps or features will be obvious for the person skilled in the art based on this specification.

For reasons of simplicity, item numbers will be maintained in the following exemplary embodiments in the case of repeating components.

Fig. 1 describes the preparation of a spoonable and/or drinkable product 4 from quinoa mate- rial according to one or more embodiments described in the present application. For example, for these types of products, the quinoa material may comprise at least 50% (w/w) or more of a quinoa material comprising 15% (w/w) or less of amylose. At 1, quinoa material may be mixed with water. The mixture may contain at least 1% (w/w) of quinoa flour, for example 5-20% (w/w) of qui- noa flour, depending e.g. on the consistency of the product to be obtained. This may be followed by gelat- inization/pasteurization 2, for example at a tempera- ture of 50-150 °C for 1-20 minutes. Then, at least one fermenting organism may be added to the mixture, and the mixture may be fermented at 3. The at least one fermenting organism may comprise or be at least one fermenting organism of a genus selected from the group of Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Bifidobacterium, Weissella , Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Lactococcus, Acetobacter, Gluconobacter, and any mixture or combi- nation thereof. More specifically, the at least one fermenting organism may be selected from the group consisting of the species Lactobacillus (L.) bulgari- cus, L. delbrueckii, L. delbrueckii sp . bulgaricus, L. acidophilus, Bifidobacterium (B . ) infantis, B. animal- is sp . lactis, B. bifidum, B. longum, B. brevis, L. casei, L. fermentum, L. kefiri, L. gasseri, L. helvet- icus, L. johnsonii , L. paracasei , L. plantarum, L. spicheri , L. reuteri , L. rhamnosus, L. salivarius, L. buchneri , L. graminis, L. corpophilus, L. sanfransis- censis, L. brevis, L. pentosus, L. linderi , L. cori- noformis, L. hammesii , L. helveticus, L. paralimen- tarius, L. pontis, L. curvatus, L. rossiae, L. kim- chii, L. amylovorus, L. panis, Lactococcus (Lc . ) lac- tis, Lc . lactis ssp. lactis , Lc . lactis ssp. cremoris , Leuconostoc (Le.) citreum, Le . mesenteroides, Le . rafinolactis, Le . oenus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Pediococcus (P.) acidolactici , P. pentosaceus, Weis- sella (W.) cibaria, W. confuse, Acetobacter (A.) xy- linum, A. intermedius, A. aceti, A. tropicalis, A. pasteurianus, A. orleanensis, A. cervisiae, A. cer- inus, A. intermedius, A. nitrogenifigents, Gluconobac- ter (G.) oxydans, G. kombuchae, and any mixture or combination thereof. The at least one fermenting or- ganism may further comprise or be Lactobacillus plantarum, such as the Lactobacillus plantarum strain DSM 33007. The mixture may be fermented, for example, at 30-37 °C for 4-72 hours. At 3, flavouring agents may be added to the fermented mixture. Flavouring agents may comprise or be fruits, vegetables, berries, flavourings, aromas, sugar, herbs, or spices. The fla- vouring agent may be in a form of a jam or a puree. Further substances may be added, if desired. These substances may be e.g. vitamins, additional protein and/or other additives. After adding the flavouring agents and optionally additional substances, the final product, a spoonable/drinkable product 4, is obtained. The spoonable and/or drinkable product may be, for ex- ample, a smoothie, a juice, or a porridge, but various other products may also be contemplated.

Fig. 2 describes the preparation of bread from quinoa material according to an embodiment of the present application. Although the preparation of bread is depicted here, the method may be suitable for or adapted for producing other baked products as well. First, at 5, quinoa material is mixed with water, so that the mixture contains at least 1% (w/w) of quinoa material, and at least one fermenting organism. The amount of the quinoa material, for example quinoa flour and/or flakes, may be selected such that a mixture with a desired consistency is obtained. For example, the ratio of quinoa material to water in the mixture may be 1:0.25, or 1:0.5, or 1:0.75, or 1:1, or 1:1.5, or 1:2, or 1:4, or 1:4, or 1:5. The at least one fermenting organism may comprise or be at least one fermenting organism of a genus selected from the group of Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Bifidobacterium, Weissella , Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Lactococcus, Acetobacter, Gluconobacter, and any mixture or combination thereof. More specifically, the at least one fermenting organism may be selected from the group consisting of the species Lactobacillus (L.) bulgaricus, L. delbrueckii , L. delbrueckii sp . bulgaricus, L. acidophilus, Bifidobacterium (B.) infantis, B. animalis sp . lactis, B. bifidum, B. longum, B. brevis, L. casei, L. fermentum, L. kefiri, L. gasseri, L. helveticus, L. johnsonii, L. paracasei, L. plantarum, L. spicheri , L. reuteri , L. rhamnosus, L. salivarius, L. buchneri , L. graminis, L. corpophilus, L. sanfransiscensis, L. brevis, L. pentosus, L. linderi, L. corinoformis, L. hammesii, L. helveticus, L. paralimentarius, L. pontis, L. curvatus, L. rossiae, L. kimchii, L. amylovorus, L. panis, Lactococcus (Lc.) lactis, Lc . lactis ssp. lactis, Lc . lactis ssp. cremoris, Leuconostoc (Le.) citreum, Le . mesenteroides, Le . rafinolactis, Le . oenus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Pediococcus (P.) acidolactici , P. pentosaceus, Weissella (W.) cibaria, W. confuse, Acetobacter (A.) xylinum, A. intermedius, A. aceti, A. tropicalis, A. pasteurianus, A. orleanensis, A. cervisiae, A. cerinus, A. intermedius, A. nitrogenifigents, Gluconobacter (G.) oxydans, G. kombuchae, and any mixture or combination thereof. The at least one fermenting organism may further comprise or be Lactobacillus plantarum, such as the Lactobacillus plantarum strain DSM 33007. The mixture may be fermented at 6, for example, at 30-37 °C for 4-72 hours. After the fermentation, other ingredients may be added to form a dough. The other ingredients, which may be optional, may include non-fermented quinoa material and/or optionally at least one other non-fermented gluten- free plant material. Further, one or more additional source of starch may be added. The additional source of starch may be potato flour.

At least one yeast may then be added to the mixture. The at least one yeast may comprise or be a yeast species selected from the group of

Saccharomyces, Debaryomyces, Pichia , Candida ,

Issatchenkia , Dekkera , Torulaspora , Schizosaccharomyces, Zygosaccharomyces, Brettanomyces, and any mixture or combination thereof. More specifically, the at least one yeast species may be selected from the group of consisting the species Saccharomyces (S.) cerevisiae, S. exiguous, S. bayanus, S. uvarum, S. servazii , S. bisporus, S. ludwigii, Debaryomyces Hansenii, Pichia (P.) deserticola , P. anomala , P. kudriavzevii , P. scaptomyzae, P. membranefaciens, Candida (C.) ethanolica, (C.) humilis, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, C. guilliermondii , C. tropicalis, C. rugopelliculosa , C. pseudolambica , C. famata , C. obutsa, C. colleculosa , C. kefyr, C. milleri ,

Issatchenkia orientalis, Dekkera bruxellensis, Torulaspora delbrueckii , Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Zygosaccharomyces (Z.) rouxii, Z. bailii , Z. kombuchaensis, Z. lentus, Brettanomyces (B.) intermedius, B. bruxellensis, B. claussenii, and any mixture or combination thereof. Yeasts may be added, for example, 0.1-4% (w/w) . Yeasts may be activated in warm water. Salt, sugar and/or water may further be added. The dough may be mixed thoroughly and added to the bread mold. The dough may then be allowed to rise. Finally, the dough may be baked at 7 from 30 min to 2 hours at 150-250 °C to obtain the final bread 8. The process may be adjusted to produce other baked products, as desired.

Fig. 3 illustrates bread loaves prepared from quinoa material according to certain embodiments described in the present application, comprising either clear (white) quinoa (white bread) or red quinoa (darker bread) . The bread has a spongy and fluffy texture.

Example 1 - Preparation of quinoa juice

L. plantarum strain Q823 deposited under the accession number DSM 33007 was grown overnight in MRS broth at 30 °C. The broth was then centrifuged at 5000 g for 10 minutes. Then, the formed pellet was suspended with the same volume of 2% NaCl . A mixture of flavouring agents was prepared containing 6% (w/w) beetroot puree, 3% (w/w) blueberries puree, 3% (w/w) strawberries puree, 1.4% (w/w) banana puree and 6% (w/w) fruit concentrate.

5% (w/w) of quinoa flour of the Raininko-type quinoa was mixed with water. The quinoa slurries were then gelatinized/pasteurized at 90 °C for 5 minutes and cooled down to 30 °C. 0.1% (w/w) of L. plantarum DSM 33007 was added to the slurries and mixed thoroughly. Slurries were then incubated overnight at 30 °C. 20% (w/w) of the mixture of flavouring agents was added and the smoothie was packed in 200 ml bags. The product was homogenous and had a pleasant taste.

Example 2 - Preparation of quinoa smoothie

L. plantarum DSM 33007 was grown overnight in MRS broth at 30 °C. The broth was then centrifuged at 5000 g for 10 minutes. Then, the formed pellet was suspended with the same volume of 2% NaCl . A mixture of flavouring agents was prepared containing 6% (w/w) beetroot puree, 3% (w/w) blueberries puree, 3% (w/w) strawberries puree, 1.4% (w/w) banana puree and 6%

(w/w) fruit concentrate.

10-13% (w/w) of quinoa flour of the Raininko- type quinoa was mixed with water. The quinoa slurries were then gelatinized/pasteurized at 90 °C for 5 minutes and cooled down to 30 °C. 0.1% (w/w) of L. plantarum DSM 33007 was added to the slurries and mixed thoroughly. Slurries were then incubated overnight at 30 °C. The mixture of flavouring agents was added and the smoothie packed in 300 ml bags. The product was homogenous and had a pleasant taste.

Example 3 - Preparation of quinoa porridge

L. plantarum DSM 33007 was grown overnight in MRS broth at 30 °C. The broth was then centrifuged at 5000 g for 10 minutes. Then, the formed pellet was suspended with the same volume of 2% NaCl . A mixture of flavouring agents was prepared containing 6% (w/w) beetroot puree, 3% (w/w) blueberries puree, 3% (w/w) strawberries puree, 1.4% (w/w) banana puree and 6%

(w/w) fruit concentrate.

15-20% (w/w) of quinoa flour of the Raininko- type quinoa was mixed with water. The quinoa slurries were then gelatinized/pasteurized at 90 °C for 5 minutes and cooled down to 30 °C. 0.1% of (w/w) L. plantarum DSM 33007 was added to the slurries and mixed thoroughly. Slurries were then incubated overnight at 30 °C. The mixture of flavouring agents was added and the product was packed in 200 ml containers. The product was soft and thick and had a pleasant taste. Example 4 - Preparation of bread from quinoa

L. plantarum DSM 33007 and L. easel Qll were grown separately overnight in MRS broth at 30 °C. The broth was then centrifuged at 5000 g for 10 minutes. Then, pellet was suspended with the same volume of 2% NaCl . Two varieties of quinoa were used, a clear (white) variety for the white bread and a red variety for the darker bread.

Quinoa flour was mixed with water (1:1.5) . 0.1% (w/w) of L. plantarum DSM 33007 and L. easel Qll were added each and mixed thoroughly. The dough was then incubated overnight at 30 °C. 19.2% (w/w) fermented quinoa flour was mixed with 19.2% (w/w) non- fermented quinoa flour, 25% (w/w) potato flour, 1.6% (w/w) salt, 1.6% (w/w) sugar, 2.4% (w/w) yeast and 30% (w/w) water. Yeast were activated in warm water and added to the rest of the ingredients. The dough was mixed thoroughly and added to the bread mold. The dough was let to raise for 1 hour at room temperature and baked at 175 °C for 1-1.5 hours. The product was spongy and fluffy and had a pleasant mouthfeel.

Example 5 - Amylose content of quinoa varieties

The amylose content of three quinoa varieties was measured using colorimetric methods. The amylose content of the Raininko-type quinoa was measured with a colorimetric assay kit by Megazyme according to the manufacturer's instructions. The amylose content of the Pasankalla and Rosada de Huancayo quinoa varieties was measured using a colorimetric method following the ISO standard ISO 6647:1987. The obtained amylose contents (%) are presented in Table 1.

Table 1

* Colorimetric (Megazyme assay)

** Colorimetric (ISO 6647:1987)

These measurements show that the Raininko-type quinoa may contain a significantly lower amount of amylose compared to other varieties.

Example 6 - Assessment of the health benefits of a fermented quinoa smoothie containing Lactobacillus plantarum DSM 33007

Health benefits associated with the consumption of fermented quinoa smoothie was investigated. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of a probiotic functional smoothie on the human intestinal microbial balance when consumed daily for a period of 4 weeks. Major targeted bacterial groups were screened: lactic acid bacteria, representing "good bacteria" and enterobacteria, representing "bad bacteria".

30 healthy, non-smoking men and women aged between 20 to 45 years, from any nationality were selected as participants. Exclusion criteria included any gastrointestinal diseases (e.g. inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, colitis, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, flatulence, malabsorption, etc.), metabolic diseases (i.e. diabetes and metabolic syndrome) and food allergies or intolerances (e.g. celiac disease, lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, etc.). Pregnant or breastfeeding women were also excluded.

The use of probiotics, fermented foods (e.g. yogurts, sour milk, etc.), vitamin D supplements and antibiotics was not allowed. Participants were divided into two groups. Control group (group 1) consumed a non-fermented quinoa smoothie and group 2 the quinoa smoothie fermented with the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum DSM 33007. Control group smoothies were acidified to equal the taste to the fermented one as well as for safety reasons. Sample products were of 250 ml. The probiotic smoothie contained approx. 1010 bacteria (cfu) .

Participants were randomly distributed into two groups. The study was divided in three phases; 2 weeks of run-in, 4 weeks of intervention (consumption of one sample per day) and 2 weeks of washout. Fecal and blood samples were taken at the beginning of the study, after the run-in (after 2 weeks) , in the middle of the intervention period (after 4 weeks) , after the intervention period (after 6 weeks) and after the washout (after 8 weeks) . Fecal samples were examined for Lactobacillus plantarum DSM 33007, lactic acid bacteria and enterobacteria by standard cultivation techniques (selective agar media) .

The probiotic bacteria present in the fermented quinoa smoothie was present in the feces of the participants consuming the fermented smoothie at a mean level of 5.3 log cfu/ml. The probiotic bacteria was still present at low levels in the feces of some of the participants two weeks after stopping the consumption of the smoothie.

The main microbial groups in the feces of the participants consuming the probiotic fermented smoothie are shown in Fig. 4. The results show the levels of good bacteria (lactic acid bacteria) and bad bacteria (enterobacteria) before consuming the probiotic quinoa smoothie, during one month of consumption and two weeks after stopping the consumption of the smoothie. The groups sharing the superscript letter (within same bacteria, a or b) are significantly different (p<0.05). A decrease in the level of enterobacteria and an increase in the level of lactic acid bacteria was observed. After stopping the consumption of the fermented smoothie, the enterobacteria levels had a tendency to restore the normal levels. However, lactic acid bacteria remained at a higher level after the consumption of the smoothie .

The main microbial groups in the feces of the participants consuming the non-fermented smoothie are shown in Fig. 5. The results show the levels of good bacteria (lactic acid bacteria) and bad bacteria (enterobacteria) before consuming the probiotic quinoa smoothie, during one month of consumption and two weeks after stopping the consumption of the smoothie. According to the results no statistically significant differences were observed.

In conclusion, the results showed that consumption of the probiotic quinoa smoothie can stimulate the intestinal good bacteria and protect from any intestinal dysregulation . This stimulation is still present even after the probiotic is not present anymore. The control group studies showed that even without the probiotic bacteria, the gut microbiota has a tendency to increase the amount of lactic acid bacteria. This effect is most likely due to the quinoa, which contains prebiotic fibers.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that with the advancement of technology, the basic idea may be implemented in various ways. The embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described above; instead they may vary within the scope of the claims.

The embodiments described hereinbefore may be used in any combination with each other. Several of the embodiments may be combined together to form a further embodiment. A product or a method disclosed herein, may comprise at least one of the embodiments described hereinbefore. It will be understood that the benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or may relate to several embodiments. The embodiments are not limited to those that solve any or all of the stated problems or those that have any or all of the stated benefits and advantages. It will further be understood that reference to 'an' item refers to one or more of those items. The term "com- prising" or "containing" is used in this specification to mean including the feature (s) or act(s) followed thereafter, without excluding the presence of one or more additional features or acts.