Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the suitability of the Romanian Albanus hybrid of Sorghum bicolor as a potential functional food ingredient. Ultrasound-assisted extraction in different solvents, together with spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods, was used to monitor the variation in total phenolic and flavonoid content and the antioxidant activity of raw sorghum grains before and during short germination periods (24, 36 and 48 h). The High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode-Array Detection (HPLC-DAD) investigation of the extracts revealed that the ungerminated sorghum grains extracted with methanol had the highest diversity of phenolic compounds, while the total phenolic content (TPC) was the highest after 36 h of germination in both extract types: 1853 mg GAE/100 g for the methanolic extract and 1726 mg GAE/100 g for the ethanolic extract. The findings of this study showed that the TPC of sorghum extracts is strongly correlated with their antioxidant activity and, overall, that the studied extracts presented a good radical scavenger activity, which supports the benefits of alimentary uses of Sorghum bicolor grains.
Highlights
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. is a C4 plant with a high photosynthetic rate characterized by a fast rate of CO2 fixation, which conducts good productivity in arid climates and even in saline or alkaline conditions [1]
The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of antioxidant compounds, such as polyphenols and flavonoids, in the grains of a Sorghum bicolor hybrid cultivated in Romania, as well as the antioxidant activity, in order to sustain the nutritional value of this cereal and the benefits for its use in human alimentation
The study analyzed the variation in the phenolic and flavonoid profile, as well as in the antioxidant activity during the germination process of sorghum grains, from the perspective of using this cereal in functional foods based on germinated sorghum
Summary
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. is a C4 plant with a high photosynthetic rate characterized by a fast rate of CO2 fixation, which conducts good productivity in arid climates and even in saline or alkaline conditions [1]. The sorghum plant’s wide-range of economical uses such as biofuel and fiber production, animal feed and silage are completed by its increasing importance in human nutrition [2]. A relatively high content of phenolic compounds of some varieties and the possibility of obtaining gluten-free products are some of the advantages of sorghum grains. Other bioactive components of sorghum grains that recommend its use as a functional ingredient are dietary fibers, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), phytosterols, policosanols, iron and zinc [3]. Some phenolic compounds are part of the metabolic defense system involved in nonhost resistance, while others have bioactivities such as insectifuge, antifungal, antiviral, UV protection, etc. The polyphenol content of plants could be augmented by applying pre- or postharvest stress [7,8]
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