Influence of Waxy (High Amylopectin) and High Protein Digestibility Traits in Sorghum on Injera Sourdough-Type Flatbread Sensory Characteristics.

Abadi G Mezgebe,Henriëtte L De Kock,John R N Taylor

doi:10.3390/foods9121749

Abadi G Mezgebe, Henriëtte L De Kock + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9121749

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Abstract

Injera, an East African leavened sourdough fermented pancake has remarkable textural properties despite being made from non-wheat flours. However, teff flour, which produces the best quality injera, is expensive and limited in availability. The effects of waxy (high amylopectin) and high protein digestibility (HD) traits in sorghum on injera quality were studied. Eight white tan-plant sorghum lines expressing these traits in various combinations and three normal sorghum types were studied, with teff flour as reference. Descriptive sensory profiling of fresh and stored injera revealed that injera from waxy sorghums were softer, spongier, more flexible and rollable compared to injera from normal sorghum and much closer in these important textural attributes to teff injera. Instrumental texture analysis of injera similarly showed that waxy sorghum injera had lower stress and higher strain than injera from normal sorghum. The improved injera textural quality was probably due to the slower retrogradation and better water-holding of amylopectin starch. The HD trait, however, did not clearly affect injera quality, probably because the lines had only moderately higher protein digestibility. In conclusion, waxy sorghum flour has considerable potential for the production of gluten-free sourdough fermented flatbread-type products with good textural functionality.

Highlights

A sourdough fermented leavened pancake-type flatbread, which is a staple food in the East
Injera sourdough breadmaking technology has the potential to be the foundation for developing high functional quality flatbread-type bakery products from non-wheat cereals without having to include additives to provide gluten-type, viscoelastic, and gas-holding functionality
The nature of the cereal flour plays an important role in injera quality

Summary

Introduction

A sourdough fermented leavened pancake-type flatbread, which is a staple food in the EastAfrican countries of Ethiopia and Eritrea, is a truly remarkable bread. Injera has a soft aerated cellular texture despite the fact that it is made with non-wheat cereal flours [1]. It is elastic and highly flexible to the extent that pieces can be tightly rolled. Injera sourdough breadmaking technology has the potential to be the foundation for developing high functional quality flatbread-type bakery products from non-wheat cereals without having to include additives to provide gluten-type, viscoelastic, and gas-holding functionality. The best injera is produced using teff flour This seems to be due to teff’s unusual starch, which comprises compound granules made up of tiny polygonal granules that have high proportion of amorphous regions [3]

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