Microbial and Qualitative Traits of Quinoa and Amaranth Seeds from Experimental Fields in Southern Italy

Quinoa and amaranth are of special interest since they are increasingly used for thedevelopment of new bakery products with enhanced nutritional value. The aim of the study wasto evaluate the agronomic, microbiological, and nutritional characteristics of quinoa and amaranthseeds grown in Southern Italy. For this reason, quinoa Titicaca and three amaranth accessions (5, 12,and 14) were cultivated in different experimental fields in the Campania Region and analyzed for thecultivation aspects, chemical composition, and microbiological quality of the seeds. All seeds showeda good adaptability to cultivation in the experimental areas of the Mediterranean basin. Quinoaseeds were characterized by their higher protein, fat, and ash content than the amaranth seeds, whichwere characterized by their higher value in dietary fiber. All seeds, regardless of the geographicalarea of production, were contaminated with yeasts, moulds, and spore-forming bacteria, mainlyBacillus cereus, B. licheniformis, B. safensis and B. subtilis, as identified by 16S rRNA sequencing analysis.So, the detection of Bacillus spp. must be strongly monitored, as quinoa and amaranth seeds couldbe used in bread production, where they can cause ropiness, resulting in great economic losses forthe industries.