The saponins are concentrated in the pericarp and have a bitter taste, so they need to be removed before consumption by washing or rubbing. If bitterness remains after processing the grain, it is probably due to remnants of the pericarp because the saponins are located in this layer (Villacorta and Talavera, 1976). Localization of stored reserves inside the seeds of quinoa show a marked compartmentalization similar to that seen in Amaranthus hypocondriacus seeds (Coimbra and Salema, 1994).