College students approve: Using sorghum to increase whole-grain exposure in university foodservice

Abstract

ABSTRACT University foodservice establishments provide opportunities to expose college students to whole grains, a healthier alternative to refined grains. Sorghum is a sustainable whole grain with a diverse, health-promoting phenolic profile. This study examined the perceptions of sensory characteristics using a hybrid-hedonic rating scale to measure consumer acceptability of two ready-to-eat foods cooked with either whole-grain sorghum or refined white rice. College students (n = 614) completed a comparative sensory analysis. The overall acceptance score between the two samples was comparable (67.6 for sorghum, 69.6 for rice), with most respondents indicating that they would eat both products. All sensory characteristics were similarly rated, except for texture/mouthfeel, which was significantly lower for sorghum (64.6 vs. 57.4; p = .000). Racial differences were seen with Whites, Blacks and other races preferring rice over sorghum with the odds two times greater as compared to Hispanics. There are numerous health benefits to using whole-grain sorghum in replacement of refined rice, and to increase daily consumption of whole grains. Recipes used in University foodservice establishments can play a role in increasing exposure to whole grains while maintaining consumer acceptability preferences.