What is it?
An ingredient made by breaking down (hydrolyzing) the seeds of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), the Andean crop eaten as a grain. Hydrolysis uses acid, enzymes or another method to split the seed’s large molecules, such as proteins, into smaller pieces that mix more easily into water-based products. In cosmetics it is listed in the European Union as a skin-conditioning ingredient.
Key information
- Hydrolyzed quinoa is quinoa seed broken down into smaller components for use in cosmetics.
- It has not been reviewed on its own by the CIR, but the CIR found 18 of 19 similar plant-derived proteins and peptides safe as used.
- Quinoa seeds carry bitter, soap-like saponins in their outer layer, which are usually removed for food.
- People with a known quinoa allergy should avoid products that list it.
More information
Quinoa seeds were the main crop of Andean cultures in South America for more than 5,000 years. Their protein content can be as high as 15 percent, with an excellent balance of amino acids. The outer layer of the seed holds saponins, bitter compounds with soap-like (surfactant) properties. Because of their bitter taste and toxic effects, saponins are considered an obstacle to using quinoa as food, and they are removed by washing, abrasion or other processing before the seeds are eaten. In laboratory studies, quinoa saponins show several biological activities, including damaging red blood cells.
Hydrolyzed quinoa has not been assessed on its own by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) or the EU’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, and its EU cosmetic ingredient listing (CosIng) carries no restrictions. The CIR Expert Panel has, however, reviewed 19 comparable plant-derived proteins and peptides, which work mainly as skin and hair conditioners. In a report published in 2022, it concluded that 18 of them are safe in the present practices of use and concentration; for the 19th, the data were insufficient.
We found no reports of skin reactions to hydrolyzed quinoa in cosmetics. As with any ingredient made from a food, people with a known allergy to quinoa should avoid products that list it. On labels it appears as “hydrolyzed quinoa.”
Sources: European Commission CosIng: Hydrolyzed Quinoa; International Journal of Toxicology (2022), via PubMed: Safety assessment of plant-derived proteins and peptides as used in cosmetics; Molecules (2020): An insight into saponins from quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd): a review
