The effect of Zimbabwean tannin-free sorghum flour substitution on fine dried noodles quality characteristics

Abstract

Sorghum crop is a food-security cereal crop of enormous importance in numerous parts across the whole world. To assess the effect of Zimbabwean Macia sorghum on fine dried noodles characteristics, composite flours comprising 10%, 20%, and 30% sorghum were investigated for their physicochemical composition, dough rheological parameters, and sensory analysis of the final dried noodles. Sorghum addition (10%–30%) resulted in a significant decrease in the protein and moisture content while it increased fat and ash content. With the increase of sorghum content, peak viscosity, trough viscosity, final viscosity demonstrated an upward trend. Starch pasting properties and the gluten network are key in the determination of the hardness of noodles. Hardness (r = 0.860) and Chewiness (r = 0.862) were positively correlated with protein content. Chewiness had a negative correlation with fat (r = -0.893) and ash (r = -0.899). As the amount of sorghum added increases, the color of the fine dried noodles becomes grayer. The existence of polyphenol oxidase enzymes and a higher amount of ash may be related to noodle discoloration. In the sensory evaluation, the total score of fine dried noodles added with 10% sorghum was not significantly different from that of the control group. Increasing the sorghum proportion had adverse effects although noodles produced were still acceptable.