Cardozo et al., 1961. Turrialba - Rev. Interamericano Ciencias Agríc., 11 (2): 72-77

Two feeding trials, one with pigs and the other with chickens, were run to assess the necessity for cooking and washing quinoa Chenopodium quinoa before feeding. Chicks fed a ration containing cooked quinua made gains equal to those receiving corn and powdered skim milk in place of quinua. Rations containing raw quinua depressed growth of both pigs and chicks, Saponins, eliminated by cooking and washing, are thought to be the cause of growth supression. It was found that an extract of pig brain offsets some of the depressing effects of raw quinua. Quinua, after washing and cooking, is a valuable feed product containing protein that appears to approach animal proteins in value.