translated from Spanish: Everything you need to know about amaranth

city of Mexico-A through the crystallography of proteins in the Molecular gastronomy Mexican company manufactures food supplements and other food products derived from amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) and protein it contains.
In an article published in Conacyt written by Hugo Valencia Julião, reported that the doctor Manuel Soriano García, researcher of the Institute of chemistry of the University national autonomous de Mexico (UNAM), more than 10 years ago decided to undertake and founded the company with the Mission to make innovative products.
Thus, in 2008 it created the Molecular gastronomy company which manufactures innovative products with amaranth through the investigation of its biostructure, separating their properties to enhance them for different purposes.
So far, the company has patented two products; continue in test phases of more food supplements of high nutritional impact for all Mexicans, however, said Dr. Manuel Soriano Garcia.
The company was recognized in 2014 by the employers Confederation of Mexico (Coparmex) with the national prize for health, that same year was also awarded with the national prize of the entrepreneur and the productivity by the National Institute of the entrepreneur) Inadem) and the Ministry of economy (SE).
It was in 2010, when Molecular gastronomy was awarded funding by the Ministry of the economy and the National Council of science and technology (Conacyt) through the sectoral Innovation Fund, and thanks to this support could be a laboratory and a small plant for the development of products.
The researcher in the area of Biomacromolecules in the UNAM explained that everything produced in Molecular gastronomy is 100% Mexican and the company was born with the goal of making high-impact innovation.
It all started when the doctor could determine the three-dimensional properties of protein of amaranth and the challenge was to enrich these proteins so that they were much more soluble.
“Modifying its three-dimensional structure with amino acid residues, it allowed that the protein was soluble in hydrophobic oil media”, added the Member level III of the national system of researchers (SNI) of the Conacyt.
From that he was interacting with the producers of amaranth, therefore saw the need to translate scientific advances into value added products because, he said, it was the only way to bring science to the people.
Amaranth drink the body cannot produce the essential amino acids. They must therefore come from the nine foods are essential amino acids: Histidine, isoleucine, Leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.
Tryptophan is an amino-acid required for normal infant growth and balance of nitrogen in adults. It is an essential amino acid, meaning that the body cannot produce it, so it must be obtained from food.
The body uses tryptophan to help produce the niacin and serotonin. The latter is believed to produce a healthy sleep and a stable mood.
Not to compete against the market of producers of amaranth, the doctor Manuel Soriano isolated protein and realized that the result was a product very similar to milk.
Due to the process of emulsification, product was a perfect consistency to be taken as a substitute for milk. However, to make a more efficient management of the product it developed it into powder to solubilize with water.
Amaranth powder drink became the first patent that the Mexican Institute of Industrial property (IMPI) Garcia gave the doctor Manuel Soriano.
“This drink with appearance similar to cow’s milk has improved palatability and organoleptic properties, as well as a higher caloric and nutritional contribution. “Also, its use is recommended in healthy people or any metabolic disorder, since it has three times more protein than cow’s milk”, said Manuel Soriano.
The researcher explained that there are other beverages and food supplements which can be a source of protein, but to be composed based on whey they lack quality that can provide the protein of Amaranth.
The joy of Amaranth another product that has developed derivative of the amaranth is a nutritional supplement that has functions antidepressant because it has high levels of tryptophan, an essential amino acid that helps the human body to generate serotonin.
Capsules of Amaranth which manufactured in his laboratory, through synthesize essential amino acid, do not cause side effects.
“They are made for people who have problems with stress and anxiety, which can lead them to a State of depression”.
So far this only product was evaluated in the laboratory and with internal tests among students, and hence they have detected that Yes it increases the level of serotonin in the body.
In the near future, expected that more testing of this product can be made so you can have a greater impact who need it because, as he explained, his biggest reward is that their research can benefit the people.
Source: Conacyt

Original source in Spanish