Chapters 8.49
8.49-Amaranth Value Addition
Sarah Figueroa,University of Guelph, Canada
Suggested citation for this chapter.
Figueroa,S. (2022) Amaranth Value Addition,In Farmpedia, The Encyclopedia for Small Scale Farmers. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.farmpedia.org
Amaranth: Background Information
Amaranths are a species of indigenous grains and vegetables from the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa that can provide smallholder and subsistence farmers new opportunities for the future (Sauer, 1967). It is the second most popular vegetable in urban markets for its traditional uses and is now a rising commodity in wealthy countries for its nutrition and health benefits. As such, amaranth has a growing and available market for subsistence farmers to which they can sell their product. Amaranth comes in many forms and also many traditional uses. Grown as a cereal grain, cooked seeds can be turned into porridge called atmit or popped seeds can be turned into candies common in many South American countries (Alemayehu, 2015). Ground seeds turned into flour can be used in foods such as flat breads or kabalgala cookies in Uganda (Alemayehu, 2015). Its leaves are also commonly consumed in African and Asian countries, where they are often used in soups and stews or pureed by pushing the leaves through a sieve (Alemayehu, 2015 & Osei-Kwarteng, 2017). Since they contain between 19.4-30% crude protein mass and numerous micronutrients, they are an excellent food to help combat malnutrition (Biel, 2017 & Beswa, 2016). Therefore, in developing countries where famine is an issue, value-added amaranth products such as amaranth flour, and amaranth leaf powder, can increase the opportunities to add nutrient density to meals and everyday food products (Alemayheu 2015 & Beswa 2016). As a product for Western countries, amaranth flowers can be packaged and sold as a tea for its antioxidant and health benefits. Adding such opportunities for value addition to the under-farmed and under-utilized crop amaranth, could aid not only subsistence farmers, but also their communities.
Creating a Shelf-Stable Product: Popped Amaranth
The first step of processing any amaranth seed product begins with the popping of amaranth seed to form a more shelf-stable product. The grains are cleansed and dried in a traditional granary under the sun, spread on tarps or in a solar dryer to control the moisture content of the seeds (Muyonga, 2008 & Osei-Kwarteng, 2017). Seeds should be cleaned of any debris and dried to a minimum of 12% moisture to reduce mold growth during storage (Muyonga, 2008). After the cleaning and processing of seeds, popping of the seeds can be done using simple tools. A pot is heated to medium high heat over a consistent heat source such as a fire and stirred until the grains increase in size (Muyonga, 2008). This kind of labour can involve under utilized members of the community such as children, women or elders. Once the seeds are popped, they must be stored on raised platforms for proper airflow and in a cool, dry location, free from pests (Muyonga, 2008). Subsistence farmers can sell popped amaranth as is to community members or further process it into snack bars, cookies or candies to sell in markets/roadside stands.
Value Addition Opportunity #1: Amaranth Flour
Alternatively, the popped seeds can then be milled into flour using a plantsifter or roller mill (Pedersen, 1987). Purchasing this type of machinery would be an investment for the community, where all could share the cost and consequently share its use and profits. Small use roller mills such as the HT130 found on Alibaba.com, require electricity and can cost between $268-560 USD depending on the size of the machine required. Though such a cost could be supported by a farmer cooperative, alternatively the seeds can also be hand milled using a mortar and pestle or traditional stone mills, especially at first when there may be limited product demand (Muyonga, 2008). During the milling process, amaranth can be mixed with various grains such as maize, teff or sorghum to also create flour mixes (Pedersen, 1987). Amaranth flour should be stored in airtight containers/packaging as it is a less stable product and has a shelf life of about one month when stored at room temperature (Muyonga, 2008). The milling and packaging process could involve the women of the village, while at the same time, using milling machinery would present an opportunity to engage the men of the village in its training and use. As flour, it can be incorporated into cooking as a thickener for soups, or in baking to create nutritionally dense cakes and cookies (Alemayehu, 2015). Due to the high amount of protein and fats it contains as well as the many vitamins and minerals, it is considered a complete meal by itself, much more so than plain maize or wheat flours (Pedersen, 1987). Therefore, it can be marketed to communities suffering from malnutrition or those with HIV/AIDS who require complete diets to maintain their health (Alemayehu, 2015). They could sell the flours ‘as is’ at markets or they could partner with health clinics in their community to promote amaranth products to add to patients’ diets. Alternatively, they could also try selling their flour to local bakeries to incorporate their products into baked goods to be sold to the community. A subsistence farmer or cooperative of farmers may also wish to partner with an NGO or government group in a program to feed school children with locally produced amaranth flour products. Since this would all be marketed towards their community or surrounding villages, limited transportation would be required.
Value Addition Opportunity #2: Amaranth Leaf Powder
While amaranth can be harvested for its seed, it can also be harvested for its leaves. One of the most common leafy greens in many African and Asian countries, its leaves are extremely nutritionally dense with high levels of essential amino acids, minerals like iron and calcium, and vitamins (Osei-Kwarteng, 2017& Shackleton, 2010). The leaves require little processing besides directly cooking them and adding them to stews or dishes. However, amaranth leaves are highly perishable due to their high water content, which results in high postharvest losses in developing countries (79-89.5%) (Osei-Kwarteng, 2017). Therefore, when blanched, cooled and dehydrated, they can be ground into a fine powder that is shelf-stable and can be further incorporated into cooking, baking or snacks bars (Beswa, 2016). While a more intensive process, this can be done using the labour of the community and/or machinery. Oven, solar, and sun are reported to be the most common commercial and household methods for drying amaranth leaves (Osei-Kwarteng, 2017). Solar drying was found to be one of the more effective simple measures as it retains the best ratio of nutrients and also kills bacteria in the process (Osei-Kwarteng, 2017). Depending on the scale of the operation then, a farmer may choose to dry leaves using a solar food dryer made from simple materials such as screens or crates, etc. There is also the option to investment in a heat pump dryer, at an approximate cost of $150-200 USD for a larger operation. Once dried at 40C for 3 days, they can be ground into a flour using a similar mill for the grinding of amaranth grain flour or hand ground with a mortar and pestle or traditional stone mills (Beswa, 2016). This can be sold at local markets, or to health supplement stores when properly marketed regarding its benefits.
Value Addition Opportunity #3: Amaranth Tea
Another value addition opportunity for smallholder farmers would be the simple processing of globe amaranth flowers into amaranth tea. It is produced from the variety Gomphrena globosa or globe amaranth and is a flowering annual with a high yield (Mahr, 2009). Once the plant produces its bright pink flowers, the blossoms can be cut, washed, dried and packaged (Mahr, 2009). The most labour intensive aspect of processing would be the hand picking of the flowers, which would be done by the farmers themselves, most notably the women. They can be dried using traditional methods such as in a granary hung upside down, however for best results, a commercial heat pump dryer should be invested in, such as one used to make the amaranth leaf powder (Ali, 2015). In terms of storage, the flowers are a shelf stable product that can last for years when properly stored in a cool, dry location, preferably on a raised surface to prevent pest access (Ali, 2015). Partnering with an NGO or Fair Trade group could assist in the transporting and marketing of a farmer’s product to countries in Asia, North America or Europe where tea drinking is a $32.8 billion industry (Ali, 2015). This use of amaranth poses new opportunities for subsistence farmers and their communities interested in a low maintenance crop, but many profitable gains.
Analysis of Amaranth Agriculture
The growth and use of amaranth is wholly and currently underinvested (Shackleton, 2010 & Alemayehu, 2015). Amaranth has been traditionally grown in only a subset of African, South American, and Asian countries, however it has applications across the tropics as it is a hardy C4 plant, suitable for growing in drought and harsh climates (Alemayehu, 2015). It also has a very flexible growing season and can be harvested multiple times within a season, offering itself as a famine prevention crop and income source during dry seasons when planned accordingly (Muyonga, 2008). However, some limitations to growing this crop during the dry season include the relatively high cost of field labour during harvest, acquisition of land, lack of irrigation and marketing (Alemayehu, 2015). More can also be done to improve the markets for amaranth and its products within African nations. Emphasizing better nutrition through education and promoting the dietary value of amaranth can help to increase its use in everyday cooking. Outside groups and governments can assist by implementing nutrition education programs in communities, including examples of foods like amaranth its uses. However, farmers can also take a role in promoting the benefits of amaranth. Appealing packaging and labeling is one way to help sell their product. This would involve investment in creatively designed packaging bags that may or may not require extra labeling and can be a secondary business for an individual within the community. The bags or labels can be designed by a local artist or young person with basic computer skills, and the bag should be made of plastic with inside foil to prevent light oxidation. The bag can also have a zipper to close it, so as not to require investment in a heat sealer for bags with openings. On Alibaba.com, bags like these can be found for between $0.001USD/bag to $1.00USD/bag, but will vary in price according to specifications and design. Overall though, the promotion of amaranth as a crop and household food is an effort that should involve entire communities.
Conclusion
In general, amaranth has a huge potential for growth as a crop and as a value added product. Amaranth is a hardy plant that can grow in a variety of climates, with a relatively high yield (NRC, 2006). As such, it can feed both subsistence farmers and their communities through its traditional uses and value added products. Popped amaranth, amaranth flour, or amaranth leaf powder can be incorporated into daily cooking and baking in numerous ways. Growing globe amaranth can also provide an alternative income sold as tea or decoration. The value addition process may require extra labour, however these tasks can involve various members of the community and/or investing in adaptable machinery that can be used to produce more than one value added product. Greater education and research on proper growing of amaranth will allow for better yields, making it easier to meet growing market demands (Alemayehu, 2015). With outside help of NGO’s and the local government, these markets can be encouraged and accessed. At the same time, more awareness needs to be raised of the benefits of amaranth to increase its daily use and therefore the demand. Only by this two-fold development of amaranth can subsistence farmers of amaranth find the optimal success.
Further Reading and Helpful Links
Hints to Get Started
a. https://www.ars-grin.gov/may/documents/1980%20-%20Subsistence%20Farm.pdf
i. Explains planning, tools, care, harvesting, and nutrition for subsistence farming (Martin, 1980).
b. https://www.nap.edu/read/11763/chapter/3#51
i. Explains background on amaranth agriculture, information on varieties, as well as planting practices, harvesting and environmental requirements (National Research Council, 2006).
Helpful YouTube Videos
a. https://youtu.be/bqsfR03SF2w
i. Demonstration on how to pop amaranth
b. https://youtu.be/OqZAnsovOTQ
. Demonstrates how a farmer in Uganda has built a small, successful business on the production of healthy and nutritious foods from the common amaranth seed.
c. https://youtu.be/ZHaUnF_TBIA
i. An example of wheat being milled into flour by a farmer and their ideas for value addition that they sell to their community. All relevant to amaranth milling and also great example of packaging ideas.
d. https://youtu.be/z35qloTGtvg
i. Outlining how to make a homemade solar food dryer
Where to find affordable machinery
i. Flour mills
i. Heat pump dryers
References
1. Alemayehu, F. R., Bendevis, M. A., & Jacobsen, S. –E. (2015). The Potential for Utilizing the a. Seed Crop Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) in East Africa as an Alternative Crop to Support b. Food Security and Climate Change Mitigation. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science c. 201, 321-329. https://doi.org/ 10.1111/jac.12108.
2. Ali, Javed. (2015). Role of processing conditions in determining tea quality. G.B. Pant University a. of Agriculture & Technology. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.4122.4400
3. “Amaranth Seeds.” YouTube, uploaded by InsightShare, November 11, 2016, a. https://youtu.be/OqZAnsovOTQ
4. Beswa, D., Dlamini, N. R., Siwela, M., Amonsou, E. O., Kolanisi, U. (2016). Effect of Amaranth a. addition on the nutritional composition and consumer acceptability of extruded b. provitamin A-biofortified maize snacks. Food Science and Technology (Campinas), c. March. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1678-457X.6813
5. Biel, W., et al. (2017). Nutritional Content And Antioxidant Properties Of Selected Species Of a. Amaranthus L. Italian Journal of Food Science, 29, 728-740.
6. “Bleckley County Family Grows Wheat, Sells Fresh Flour.” YouTube, uploaded by Georgia a. Farm Monitor, June 12, 2015, https://youtu.be/ZHaUnF_TBIA
7. “Homemade Solar Food Dryer: Simple Idea.” YouTube, uploaded by mylittlehomestead, October a. 28, 2011, https://youtu.be/z35qloTGtvg
8. Mahr, S. (2009). Globe Amaranth. University of Wisconsin horticulture. a. https://hort.uwex.edu/files/2014/11/Globe-Amaranth.pdf
9. Martin, F. R., & Ruberte, R. M. (1980). Techniques and Plants for the Tropical Subsistence Farm. a. Science and Education Administration, Agricultural Reviews and Manuals, Southern Series, 8.
10. Muyonga, J., Nabakabya, D., Nakimbugwe, D., Masinde, D. (2008). Efforts To Promote a. Amaranth Production And Consumption In Uganda To Fight Malnutrition. In Using b. Food Science and Technology to Improve Nutrition and Promote National Development. Kampala, Uganda: International Union of Food Science & Technology.
11. National Research Council. (2006). Description and Assessment of Individual Species: a. Amaranth. In National Research Council, Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/11763.
12. Osei-Kwarteng, M., et al. (1997). Processing Methods and Nutritional Quality of Dried Amaranth a. (Amaranthus spp. L) Leaves: A Review. In The 1st All Africa Post Harvest Congress & b. Exhibition. Nairobi, Kenya.
13. Pedersen, B., Hallgren, L., Hansen, I., & Eggum, B. O. (1987). The nutritive value of amaranth a. grain (Amaranthus caudatus). Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 36, 325-334.
14. “Popping amaranth grains locally. FULL VIDEO.” YouTube, uploaded by philip odhiambo, a. September 19, 2017, https://youtu.be/bqsfR03SF2w
15. Sauer, Johnson D. (1967). The Grain Amaranths and Their Relatives: A Revised Taxonomic and a. Geographic. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 54 (2), 103-137.
16. Shackleton, C. et al. (2010). Production of and trade in African indigenous vegetables in the a. urban and peri-urban areas of Durban, South Africa. Development of Southern Africa, 27 (3), 291-308. https://doi.org/10.1080/0376835X.2010.498937.