quinoa - tradelink internationalquinoa flour is usually made by grounding prewashed raw quinoa seeds...

An introduction to:

www.tradelinkinternational.com | [email protected] | ARG: +54 11 4290-1492 | NZ: +64 9 9250497

QUINOA

OUR GOALWe wanted to create a company where you, the international buyer, could get supply of ancient grains and other specialty ingredients, both organic and conventional, as close to the farm as possible, but still have the assurance that your requirements and needs will be understood, even in a foreign land, and that both of us will be on the same page regarding product quality, certifications and traceability.

We also wanted to be more than just a supplier, we want to offer solu-tions, as complex as required, but as simple as possible, to help you with your product development and business goals.

What you do and what you need matters to us.

tradelinkinternational.com


ABOUT USSince 1994, TradeLink has been specialising in premium food products, giving our valued customers global supply options with exceptional service, value and quality standards. Today TradeLink serves their customers from offices in Auckland and Buenos Aires.

OUR SERVICESTradeLink is a global supply company focused on ancient grains and frozen fruit, helping buyers secure supplies direct from the source, whilst saving them time and reducing the risks that come with cross-cultural and overseas buying.

TESTINGTradeLink gets every

batch we export thoroughly tested by

an external laboratory.

LOGISTICSWith 25 years’

experience behind us, your product is in good

hands.

UPDATESWe proactively update

you on the status of your order through our weekly email updates.

GLOBALWe use our knowledge

on global supply to help you meet your

challenges.

PRODUCT NAME: Quinoa (Red or White)

ORIGIN: Bolivia, Peru and Paraguay

ABOUT: More than 5000 years ago the Incas (Peruvian ancient culture) cultivated the grain-like seed quinoa as one of their staple crops. Some consider quinoa “the gold of the Incas” because the Incas believed it increased the stamina of their warriors.

Quinoa is close to one of the most complete foods in nature because it contains amino acids, enzymes, vitamins and minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.

Quinoa is GLUTEN FREE which makes it a perfect food for Gluten intolerance people, like celiacs. Quinoa flour is usually used in gluten free baking, where it’s high protein content helps substitute the protein usually found in gluten – it helps bulk out and give shape and rise to bread and other baked goods.

Quinoa contains all 9 essential aminoacids and other minerals like Calcium, potasium, magnesium and iron.

CULTIVATION: In South America, Quinoa is grown successfully at sea level with other crops, as well as high up the Andes mountians, like on the Altiplano in Peru, 3900m above sea level, or en the “Salares del Sur” in Bolivia, 3600m above sea level, where other crops struggle to be successful.

It is a crop that adapts to different cliamtes very well.

Quinoa is harvested mechanically at larger farms, and manually by smaller growers.



THE PRODUCT

WHITE QUINOA RED QUINOA POPPED QUINOA



THE PRODUCT

In simple terms, the process of popping Quinoa can be compared to popcorn, the main differentiation between popped and extruded Quinoa, apart from the process, is that the Quinoa seed is processed whole, it is not ground to a flour, so the sizing of a popped Quinoa cannot be controlled and the shape is reasonably uniform, but the product is still a natural product with variations in size and shape.

In more technical terms, the Quinoa enters a high pressure chamber, steam is added and the pressure increased. At a given pressure (around 145–165 psi), the seal of the pressure chamber is suddenly released and the sudden change of pressure and temperature causes the steam in the Quinoa to flash causing the grain to expand, or pop.

Popped Quinoa is cripy and light texture which makes it easy to eat without any further processing. Popping quinoa adds depth to the flavour making it a versatile ingredient and an excellent addition to health bars, granolas, mueslis, snacks and even chocolates.

Popped Quinoa

Toasted Quinoa is very similar to popped quinoa, and both terms can be used to describe the same product, however, some manufacturers do actually toast popped quinoa as an extra process after popping the quinoa.

Toasted Quinoa

The word Puffs or Puffed is the biggest cause for confusion because different growers and distributers use it to describe two quite different Quinoa products. Puffed Quinoa is used to describe both Popped Quinoa and Extruded Quinoa. Both these products are expanded, so they often get called Puffs, however there is a key difference between the two of them.



QUINOA EXPLAINED

Extruded Quinoa is processed the same way as other grain, such as rice. The process involves grinding the Quinoa down and mixing it with a bounding ingredient (although not always), and in some cases flavouring such as chocolate or a sweatner, then steam is injected into the mix to flash cook and expand the product as it is forced through a die which gives the extruded product its shape. This means that extruded quinoa can be produced in different sizes and shapes, although the most common is a round shape of either 3 to 4mm, or a larger one of around 7 to 10mm.

When producing extruded quinoa, a cheaper product can be produced by adding a cheaper ingredient to the extrusion mix.

Extruded Quinoa, liked popped, is very light and crispy and can be eated as is. It is often used in gluten free bakery and can be used as an alternative to other extruded products, such as puffed rice. It can be eaten as a cereal with milk, or used in cereals mixes, snacks, co-extruded products, baked products, pastas, or as toppings in salads – it is a very versatile ingredient, with a lot more to offer in the way of nutritional values than it does flavour.

Extruded Quinoa

Quinoa flakes are producued by simply flattening Quinoa seeds using mechanical rollers or a press. Flakes can be made from from raw or cooked Quinoa. Cooked Quinoa flakes are usually steamed before flaking, and then toasted afterwards to dry them out, which makes them ideal to use for instant porridge (with or instead of oats), baking applications, cereal bars etc. The advantage of using raw flaked quinoa instead of the full grain is a quicker cooking time which can be an important consideration for food manufacturers where time is of the essence. To look at, raw quinoa flakes are similar to rolled oats, and still retain the full nutritional value of the quinoa grain, with a fairly nutural unobtrusive flavour.

Flaked Quinoa



QUINOA EXPLAINED

Quinoa Flour is usually made by grounding prewashed raw Quinoa seeds into a fine powder. Because of the high protein content in Quinoa (14.1g/100g), quinoa flour is an excellent flour to use in gluten free baking, making up for the protein usually found in gluten, enhancing the texture and flavour as well as the nutritional content, although the substitution of wheat in classical wheat products does require special strategies for them to be successful.

Including quinoa in your gluten free products, such as pastas and baked goods, can help differentiate your products from other gluten free products.

Quinoa Flour

Cooked Quinoa is usually steamed (but not popped) and then dried, although it can also be supplied in a wet format in septic packaging or even frozen. The advantage of the cooked Quinoa is mainly the reduction in preparation time.

Cooked Quinoa

Red & White Quinoa



QUINOA EXPLAINED

Packaging: This is usually specified by the customer, although we recommend a 25kg plastic woven sack, which can be stored in a dry area, and are easy to handle and ship.

Shipping: Most quinoa is shipped from the processors to warehouses overseas where it is processssed into flours, retail packs or used as an additive in retail or industrial products. TradeLink is moving to reduce this waste of transport and is encouraging clients to move into partnerships for processing the products closer to the farms, reducing the carbon footprint of the product and saving on logistics and waste.

To reduce shipping costs, our standard shipping method is in a 20ft dry container, with multiple humidity absorbant packs and lined with corrugated cardboard or kraft paper. The 25kg sacks are loose loaded.

Quantity per container:

20 metric tonnes (not palletised) in 20ft container 20 metric tonnes palletised in 40ft high cube (40 25kg bags per pallet, 20 pallets)



STORAGE & SHIPPING

Country of Origin: Mainly Peru & Bolivia

Appearance: Quinoa is a small white grain about the size of millet, but flattened with an oval point.

Taste: Characteristic of quinoa with a light delicate nutty taste.

Texture: Hard

Colour: Cream to whitePackaging: 25kg multi ply paper sacks labelled with Packer, Product Description, Net weight, OrganicCertification Details and Lot Number

Typical Analysis:Purity 99.9%Minerals or vegetable matter 0.01%Insect infestation, part of insects Nil

Microbiological Standards:Moisture 13%maxE.coli <Absent in 10gSalmonella spp absent in 25gYeasts & Moulds 5000 cfu/g maxTotal coliforms 1000cfu/g maxTVC 250 000cfu/g maxNutritional Information (per 100g):Energy, 1505kj (356cal)Protein 13.7gFat 7.1g

Of which saturates 0.96gCarbohydrate 64.3gOf which sugars 3.5gSodium TraceFibre (Englyst) 13g

Metal Detection: 1.0mm Ferrous, 1.0mm Non Ferrous & 1.5mm Stainless Steel

Shelf Life: 24 months from date of delivery, stored in air cooled, brick built warehouse with appropriate vermin controls in place.

Quality: This product shall be free from live infestation, and evidence of infestation by rodents or birds. It shall not contain pathogens at levels injurious to human health, and will comply with the requirements of the Food Safety Act 1990, and all pertinent regulations made thereunder.



Product Specifications

quinoa - tradelink internationalquinoa flour is usually made by grounding prewashed raw quinoa seeds...

Documents