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Quinoa

Quinoa suppliers and sourcing guide

Quinoa is the seed of Chenopodium quinoa, an Andean plant in the amaranth family that is used like a cereal grain. The seeds carry bitter saponins in their outer coat, so commercial quinoa is washed or abraded (scoured) after harvest, then dried, cleaned and graded. Brands buy it as whole white, red or black seed, as flakes, as flour, or as puffed or crisp pieces for bars and cereals.

See suppliersWhat to ask for on the COA
Also known as
Chenopodium quinoa · quinoa seed · quinoa grain
Facts checked
November 2026

Forms and grades of quinoa

Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.

  • Whole seed

    Washed or scoured white, red, black or tricolor seed, sold by color and by cleanliness grade for cooking, blending or further processing.

  • Flakes

    Seed steamed and rolled flat, used in hot cereals, granola and bars where a shorter cooking time is needed.

  • Flour

    Milled whole seed, sometimes heat-treated, used in gluten-free baking and snack doughs; finer grinds are sold for drink mixes.

  • Puffed or crisp

    Seed puffed under pressure or extruded into crisps for bars, clusters and cereal coatings.

  • Organic

    Certified organic quinoa, a large share of the trade, with origin (often Peru or Bolivia) stated on the specification.

What to check on the COA

Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.

Saponin residue
Saponin level or a foam (afrosimetric) test, confirming the washing or scouring step removed the bitter coat.
Moisture
Loss on drying or a moisture meter reading; the specification usually caps moisture to keep the seed stable in storage.
Foreign material and grading
Stones, husks, other seeds and broken or off-color kernels, reported as a percentage by weight against the grade.
Protein
Protein by Kjeldahl or Dumas combustion, when the buyer's label or formula depends on it.
Heavy metals
Lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury by ICP-MS, reported against the supplier's specification or the buyer's own limits.
Microbiology and pesticides
Plate count, yeast and mold and Salmonella, plus a multi-residue pesticide screen by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS, especially for conventional lots.

Storage, lots and expiry

Storage and shelf life

Keep whole quinoa in sealed bags or totes in a cool, dry warehouse away from pests; flour and flakes are more prone to rancidity and insect activity than whole seed. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification, and older stock is usually retested for moisture, odor and insects before use.

Lots and expiry dates

Color, seed size and saponin residue vary by variety, origin and crop year, so record origin and harvest year with each lot. Rotate first in, first out, and check flour lots for off-odor before release.

Regulatory status

Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.

This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.

Quinoa suppliers

Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.

We are checking quinoa suppliers now

Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.

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Frequently asked questions

What forms of quinoa can brands buy?

Common forms include whole seed, flakes, flour, puffed or crisp and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.

What should the COA for quinoa include?

Expect saponin residue, moisture, foreign material and grading, protein, heavy metals and microbiology and pesticides, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.

How should quinoa be stored?

Keep whole quinoa in sealed bags or totes in a cool, dry warehouse away from pests; flour and flakes are more prone to rancidity and insect activity than whole seed. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification, and older stock is usually retested for moisture, odor and insects before use.

What is the regulatory status of quinoa?

The EU Novel Food Catalogue entry for Chenopodium quinoa concerns only the seeds and carries the status code NOT_NOVEL_IN_FOOD. The same catalogue entry records member state use of quinoa as a food ingredient (grain).

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