Importance and utilization of amaranth in food industry Part I. Characteristic of grain and average chemical constitution of whole amaranth flour

Abstract Amaranth seeds are very small. Their bulk density is 843 g dm−3. Basic analysis of amaranth whole flour from Slovakia proved evidently a high content of proteins (17.7% on dry basis), what is typical for amaranths. The lipid content of amaranth grains is rather high (7.32% on d. b.). Amaranths with their high content of fat are similar to oats. From the point of storage time of the amaranth flour the high content of fat was assumed as an unfavourable factor. The quantity of fiber (4.91% on d.b.) is comparable with more varieties of amaranth cultivated abroad. Amaranth has a relatively high content of Ca, Mg, P, K and Fe. The quantity of thiamine corresponds to the average values of amaranth grown abroad. Riboflavin is present up to quadruple amount in comparison to the literature. The acidity of flour during 6 weeks of resting increased relatively little.