White Sorghum Research Articles

Haematological, Serum biochemical indices and lipid profile of finisher broiler chickens fed red and white sorghum based diets, supplemented with tannase enzyme

A 28 days study was carried out to investigate the effects of red sorghum (RS) and white sorghum (WS) based diets, with or without tannase supplementation on the haematological, serum biochemical indices and lipid profile of finisher broiler chickens. Two hundred and forty (240) 4 weeks old Arbor Acre broiler chicks were allotted to eight (8) dietary treatments, which consisted of 30 birds, having 3 replicates of 10 birds each. Diets were formulated to replace maize with red and white sorghum at 4 levels (0%, 100%RS, 100%WS and 50%RS:50%WS), with or without tannase enzyme to have a 4x2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design. On 28th day, blood was collected for determination of haematological, serum biochemical and lipid profile. Birds fed 100% RS diet and those fed 50RS: 50WS had the highest (P<0.05) white blood cell count (WBC), while the least WBC value was recorded for birds fed maize-based diet. Haematological indices were not significantly (P>0.05) influenced by the interaction between the sorghum type and tannase supplementation. Birds fed the maize-based diet without tannase had the highest (P<0.05) level of albumin (4.87g/dl), while birds fed 100%WS diet without tannase had the lowest value (3.33g/dl). The lipid profile of boiler chickens was not significantly (P>0.05) influenced by sorghum type, tannase supplementation and their interaction. It was concluded from the study that RS and WS, with or without tannase supplementation, can totally replace maize in the diet of finisher broilers without detrimental effect on the haematological, serumbiochemical indices and lipid profile.

Optimization of enzymatic production of anti-skin aging biopeptides from white sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench] grain

Recently, kafirins from white sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench] grain have shown promise as a source of biopeptides with anti-skin aging effects (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and inhibition of photoaging-associated enzymes). This study employed response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize the extraction and enzymatic hydrolysis of kafirins (KAF) for the production of peptides with anti-skin aging properties. The optimization of conditions (reaction time and enzyme/substrate ratio) for liquefaction with α-amylase and hydrolysis of KAF with alcalase was performed using 32 complete factorial designs. Subsequently, ultrafiltered peptide extracts were obtained with molecular weights of 1–3 kDa (KAF-UF3) and lower than 1 kDa (KAF-UF1), which mainly contain hydrophobic amino acids (proline, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, and valine) and peptide fractions with molecular weights of 0.69, 1.14, and 1.87 kDa. Consequently, the peptide extracts protected immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) from ultraviolet B radiation (UVB)-induced damage by preventing the decrease and/or restoring the activity of antioxidant enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)]. Furthermore, KAF-UF3 and KAF-UF1 inhibited (20–29%) elastase and collagenase overactivity in UVB-exposed murine fibroblasts (3T3 cells). Thus, KAF-UF3 and KAF-UF1 exhibited behavior similar to that observed with glutathione (GSH), suggesting their potential as functional peptide ingredients in skincare products.

Adaptation of Conventional Wheat Flour Mill to Refine Sorghum, Corn, and Cowpea

This study evaluated the refinement of sorghum, corn, and cowpea grains using the processing steps and equipment originally designed for wheat milling that consists of a conventional gradual reduction system. The need to mill these grains resulted from a desire to produce alternative ingredients for developing new fortified blended extruded foods used for food aid programming. Milling of white sorghum grain resulted in a crude protein content of 7.4% (wb) for both whole and coarse-milled flour. The crude protein content in whole fine-milled sorghum was 6.8% (wb), which was significantly lower than that of whole coarse flour at 9.3% (wb). A decrease in the ash content of sorghum flour correlates with the decortication process. However, degermed corn, fine and coarse, had significantly different crude protein content of 6.0 ± 0.2% (wb) and 7.7 ± 0.06% (wb), respectively. Degerming of corn improved the quality of corn flour (fine and coarse) by reducing the crude fat content from 3.3 ± 0.18% (wb) to 1.2 ± 0.02% (wb) and 0.6 ± 0.13% (wb), respectively. This helped increase the starch content from 60.1 ± 0.28% (wb) in raw corn to 74.7 ± 0.93% (wb) and 71.8 ± 0.00% (wb) in degermed fine and coarse corn flour, respectively. Cowpea milling did not produce differences in the milling stream outputs when the crude fat and crude protein were compared. Whole flour from the grains had higher milling yields than decorticated flour. This study demonstrated that a mill dedicated to wheat size reduction can be adapted to refine other grains to high quality.

Effect of various supplements on productive performance of honey bees, in the south Wollo Zone, Ethiopia.

The productivity and well-being of honey bee colonies are greatly influenced by the nutrients present in the hives. A study was conducted to evaluate different supplemental feeds on honey bee productive performance during dearth periods. Thirty colonies were grouped into five (four treatment groups and one control group) and each group contained three sub-groups (2 weak, 2 strong, and 2 very strong). Control groups were not given any supplementation. Treatment diets were T1 (50% sugar syrup + 14% roasted barley powder (beso) + 36% roasted spiced pea powder (Shiro)), T2 (50% powder sugar + 14% white sorghum powder + 36% bakery yeast, T3 (50% powder sugar + 14% white sorghum powder + 36% skimmed milk powder), T4 (50% sugar syrup with infusion of stinging nettle and 1% kerefa + 50% white sorghum powder). Feed was given on the entrance sides. The performance of experimental colonies was measured every 21 days in two phases during the dry season (from 3_2_2021 to 27_4_2021) and the rainy season (from 28-7_2021 to 1_10_2021). Feed intake, space (cm2) of pollen, nectar, and honey in the comb were measured using a frame-sized transparent grid meter. The study revealed significant differences (p<0.0001) in all measured parameters among the various treatments. The diet provided by T4 showed the highest levels of crude protein (18.15%) and carbohydrates (92.15%), whereas the diet presented by T3 had the lowest crude protein content (6.66%) and the diet offered by T1 had the lowest carbohydrate content (61.91%). In general, colonies that received T4 showcased superior performance compared to others. They exhibited a feed intake of 98.3%, a nectar area of 54.3 cm2, a pollen area of 68.7 cm2, a honey area of 311.2 cm2, and a honey yield of 7 kg. Consequently, their net profit amounted to 51.54 USD. On the other hand, the colonies that received T1 had the lowest performance indicators. They demonstrated a feed intake of only 54.7%, a nectar area of 37.6 cm2, a pollen area of 48.8 cm2, a honey area of 254.3 cm2, a honey yield of 2.8 kg, and a net profit of 18.81 USD. The significance of this study was to enable the beekeepers in realizing the effects of feed supplements on the productivity and profitability of honeybee colonies.

Relations Between Amylose Content and Physicochemical Properties of Starches from White and Red Sorghum Varieties

AbstractThis research aims to determine the relationship between amylose content and physicochemical properties in white and red sorghum starches. Five varieties of red sorghum and four varieties of white sorghum were evaluated. The chemical properties, the amylose content, the resistant starch content, scanning electron microscopy, the absorption and solubility index in water, the viscosity profile, the thermal properties, and the correlation between the amylose content were determined. Sorghum starches had an amylose content between 24.51% and 34.34%, but did not show any relationship with color. Regarding the microstructure, the starches that appear larger granules (20–30 µm) have lower amylose content. Sorghum red varieties shown higher values in gelatinization enthalpy, pasting temperature and water absortion index, this effect was attributed to the formation of complexes with phenolic compounds. Starches with a higher proportion of amylose shown lower viscosity profiles and a high thermal stability. Correlation matrix analysis reveals that amylose content had a negative correlation with water absorption index, water solubility index, maximum viscosity, minimum viscosity, and positive correlation with the resistant starch content. The amylose content can define the potential application of the sorghum starches.

Altering plant carbon allocation to stems has distinct effects on rhizosphere soil microbiome assembly, interactions, and potential functions in sorghum

AbstractAltering plant carbon allocation from leaves to stems is key to improve biomass for forage, fuel, and renewable chemicals. The sorghum dry stalk (D) locus controls a quantitative trait for sugar accumulation, with enhanced carbon allocation in the stems of juicy green (dd) sorghum but reduced carbon allocation in that of dry white (DD) sorghum. However, it remains unclear whether altering sorghum sugar accumulation in stem affects below‐ground microbiome. Here we investigated sorghum rhizosphere soil microbiome in near isogenic lines with different magnitude of carbon allocations and accumulation in the stems. Results showed that enhanced carbon accumulation in stems of juicy green sorghum results in stronger selection in rhizosphere microbiome assembly. The rhizosphere soil microbial communities selected in juicy green sorghum tended to be fast‐growing microbial taxa which possessed potential functions that would promote higher potential capacity to use chemically labile carbon sources and potentially result in higher potential decomposition rates. We found the rhizosphere microbes selected by juicy green sorghum form weaker interactions than dry white sorghum. This is the first comprehensive study revealing how the different magnitude of carbon allocations to stems regulates microbial community assembly, microbial interaction, and microbial functions. This study indicates that future plant modification for bioenergy crops should also consider the impacts on belowground microbial community without compromising the sustainability.

PENGARUH SUBTITUSI TEPUNG SORGUM PUTIH DALAM PEMBUATAN VANILLA CUPCAKE TERHADAP KUALITAS FISIK DAN DAYA TERIMA KONSUMEN

This research seeks to analyze the impacts of substituting white sorghum flour in the making of vanilla cupcakes on both their physical quality and consumer acceptance. This research was carried out at the Pastry and Bakery Laboratory of Culinary Education, Faculty of Engineering, State University of Jakarta in July 2022 - January 2024. The method used in this research is the experimental method involving vanilla cupcakes with white sorghum flour substitution of 20 percent, 30 percent, and 40 percent. A consumer acceptability test was conducted on 30 semi-trained panelists evaluating various organoleptic aspects. The statistical analysis, utilizing Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for the physical quality test, revealed a significant influence of white sorghum flour substitutions (20%, 30%, and 40%) on both cupcakes rising power and stability. After conducting the Friedman Test on several aspects, results showed that there is no statistically significant difference between treatments on these following aspects: 1) the color of crumbs; 2) sorghum aroma; 3) sweetness; and 4) the texture of the top of the cupcake. On the other hand, the test showed that there is a statistically significant difference between treatments on the following aspects: 1) butter aroma; 2) the taste of sorghum; 3) crumbs texture; and 4) the color of the top of the cupcake. Further investigation using Tukey's test is necessary for the aspects with observed differences. Ultimately, the most preferred product was the vanilla cupcakes with a 20 percent sorghum flour substitution.Keywords: consumer acceptability, physical quality, vanilla cupcake, white sorghum flour

Effect of size reduction methods on raw and microwave-parboiled white sorghum and their physico-chemical, functional, rheological, and structural characteristics

There is a growing trend to ameliorate local flour sources to substitute wheat flour. Sorghum grain's nutritional profile is comparable to that of wheat but it is gluten-free and can be consumed by celiac patients. They can be used to provide much-needed healthy alternatives to the grain industry. Hammer, burr, and ball mills were utilized for polished raw and parboiled sorghum flour production to study the effect of various milling techniques on sorghum flour properties. The physico-chemical, functional, rheological, and structural attributes of the different milled white sorghum flours were analyzed. The highest recovery of sorghum flour was from the ball mill 97.46 ± 0.48% and 97.43 ± 0.26% for raw and microwave parboiled sorghum flour, respectively. The particle size of the flour samples produced by the hammer mill have lower geometric mean diameters (raw - 64.26 ± 1.26 μm, and microwave parboiled - 108.93 ± 1.92 μm) than those obtained using other mills. Considering that, particle size is a major determinant of quality. While porosity increased, bulk and true density decreased at higher particle. There is a less significant difference in proximate composition among the samples. The crystallinity value of raw samples follows the order ball mill (BA) (34.08%) > burr mill (BU) (31.54) > hammer mill (HM) (28.96%), and microwave parboiled samples follow the order parboiled ball mill (PBA) (13.58%) > parboiled burr (PBU) (12.86%) > parboiled hammer (PHM) (11.25%). The thermal, and pasting characteristics of the polished raw and microwave-parboiled white sorghum flours were considerably influenced by the type of mills.

Temporal changes in the fermentation characteristics, bacterial community structure and the functionality of the predicted metagenome of a batch fermenter medium containing the upper gastrointestinal enzyme resistant fraction of white sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench)

Sorghum is a potential prebiotic ascribed to the high native resistant starch (RS) content. Our previous studies on raw sorghum have revealed prominent amino acid fermentation despite the high RS content. Interestingly, autoclaved-freeze-dried sorghum fed rats exhibited beneficial microbial and biochemical profiles. Having a keen interest to reciprocally scrutinize the underlying mechanisms behind these contrasting outcomes, we used an in vitro porcine batch fermentation model. The fermentable substrates in raw and autoclaved-freeze-dried (three cycles) sorghum (AC) after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion fostered similar bacterial community structures, yet with significant differences in the characteristic amylolytic microbial taxa abundance and their temporal variation. Further, significant differences in the concentration of organic acids in raw and AC manifested the differences in the predicted abundance of the underlying pathways of carbohydrate and organic acid metabolism. Thus, this study highlights the propensity of the heat-moisture treatment of sorghum in modifying the fermentability of its RS.

Malted sorghum as a maize substitute in broiler diets: effect on feed utilisation, growth performance and haemo-biochemical parameters

Sorghum is amongst the most drought-tolerant cereals in the driest rain-fed regions of the tropics and its utilisation in sustainable poultry production is limited by presence of phytochemicals. Thus, this study evaluated the effects of malting dietary sorghum on growth performance and haemo-biochemical parameters of Ross 308 broiler chickens. A total of 150 unsexed, 2 weeks-old chicks were evenly distributed into 15 replicated pens which were randomly allocated into three experimental diets and fed in two phase feeding. Three diets were formulated by completely replacing maize grain in commercial grower and finisher diets (CON) with red malted sorghum (RSD) and white malted sorghum (WSD). Broilers fed CON and WSD diets gained more weight compared to those fed RSD in week 3 and 5. The lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed in CON in week 4 and 6. The protein efficiency ratio was the lowest with broilers fed malted sorghum-based diets (MSD) through out the study. Protein intake was the highest in broilers fed WSD in week 3 and 5, but lowest in week 4 and 5 in broilers fed RSD. Diets affected white blood cells basophils, corpuscular (volume and haemoglobin), corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, creatinine, bilirubin, and enzymes (GTP and GOT). Overall, the results from the present study suggest that maize grains can be replaced with malted white sorghum grains in poultry diets, without any adverse effects on the birds’ growth performance and general health status.

Germination: A Powerful Way to Improve the Nutritional, Functional, and Molecular Properties of White- and Red-Colored Sorghum Grains.

This study explored the effects of the germination of red and white sorghum grains (Sorghum bicolor [Moench (L.)]) for up to seven days on various properties of the grain. Germination enriched sorghum's nutritional and sensory qualities while mitigating existing anti-nutritional factors. The study employed Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy techniques to support its findings. Germination increased protein and lipid content but decreased starch content. White sorghum grains showed elevated calcium and magnesium but decreased iron, potassium, and zinc. Red sorghum grains showed a consistent decrease in mineral content during germination. Germination also increased fiber and lignin values in both sorghum varieties. The results of the FT-IR analysis demonstrate that germination induced significant changes in the molecular structure of white sorghum samples after 24 h, whereas this transformation was observed in red sorghum samples at four days. Total phenolic content (TPC) in red sorghum ranged from 136.64 ± 3.76 mg GAE/100 g to 379.5 ± 6.92 mg GAE/100 g. After 72 h of germination, the germinated seeds showed a threefold increase in TPC when compared to ungerminated seeds. Similarly, the TPC of white sorghum significantly increased (p < 0.05) from 52.84 ± 3.31 mg GAE/100 g to 151.76 mg GAE/100 g. Overall, during the 7-day germination period, all parameters showed an increase, and the germination process positively impacted the functional properties that contributed to the health benefits of white and red sorghum samples.

Baked sorghum tortilla chips: effects of baking conditions on physicochemical properties

SummaryWholegrain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is nutritious and gluten‐free. Despite its health benefits, the potential for wholegrain sorghum to be incorporated into a large range of food products in Western countries is yet to be realised. In this study, we developed oven‐baked sorghum‐based tortilla chips to create a healthy sugar‐free product for the snack market. Tortilla chips were made separately with flour from white sorghum (cv. Liberty) and a red sorghum (cv. Taurus), each mixed with corn flour (85:15% w/w) to give a gluten‐free product, as well as a corn‐wheat control (85:15% w/w). Three parameters for the baking process were varied: dough sheet thickness (0.95 and 1.45 mm), baking temperature (160 and 180 °C) and baking time (2 and 4 min). Physicochemical properties of the tortilla chips were then determined: moisture content, water activity, degree of puffiness, colour and texture parameters. Dough sheet thickness had significant effects on tortilla chip quality, although baking time and temperature had the greatest effects. Increasing temperature and time decreased moisture content, water activity and degree of puffiness, but increased hardness, fracturability and brownness index. Among those tested, the best conditions for preparing sorghum tortilla chips were dough sheet thickness of 0.95 mm, baking temperature of 160 °C and baking time of 4 min. The properties of the white sorghum tortilla chips were closer than the red sorghum tortilla chips to those of the corn‐wheat control. The sorghum tortilla chips developed are a healthy gluten‐free snack with favourable physiochemical properties.

Effects of supplementing &lt;i&gt;Masakwa&lt;/i&gt; creamy white sorghum with selected synthetic enzymes on the performance and cost benefit of broiler chickens

An experiment was conducted at the Poultry Unit of the Teaching and Research Farm, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi to investigate the growth performance and cost benefit of broiler chickens fed Masakwa creamy white sorghum supplemented with three selected synthetic enzymes: Natuzyme, Maxigrain and Phytase. Five experimental diets were formula ted for the broiler chickens at both the starter ( 23% CP ) and finisher ( 20% CP ) phases labeled as Diets 1: maize control, Diet 2: sorghum without enzyme, Diet 3: sorghum supplemented with Natuzyme, Diet 4: sorghum supplemented with Maxigrain and Diet 5: sorghum supplemented with Phytase. Three hundred (300) broiler unsexed “Marshal” chicks were randomly allotted to the dietary treatments with four replications each and 15 birds per replicate in a completely randomized design. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum throughout the experimental period of eight weeks. Results showed that at the starter phase, daily feed intake (49.23-60.26g), daily weight gain (23.11-32.28g) and feed conversion ratio(1.87-2.13g); at the finisher (101.11-146.29g; 30.01-69.07g and 2.12-3.37), and the overall phases (75.17-103.22g; 26.57-50.68g and 2.00-2.75) were significantly (P&lt;0.05) different across the treatments. The best performance was obtained on maize diet closely followed by enzyme supplemented sorghum based diets, while the least was observed in unsupplemented sorghum diet. Based on the cost benefit analysis, Diet 1 (maize based diet) had the cheapest feed cost while the highest value was on Diet 2 (unsupplemented sorghum diet) for all the phases. It can therefore be concluded that Masakwa sorghum supplemented with different enzymes can be used in broiler chicken diets for better performance in comparism with the unsupplemented sorghum diet. It is economical to supplement Masakwa sorghum variety with any of the synthetic enzyme because the feed cost ₦/kg gain is lower than the values on unsupplemented sorghum diet.

The Role of Salt-Tolerant Crops in the Proper Use of Saline Soils

The use of saline soils for agricultural production is a major challenge. A study investigated the resistance to salinity, yield, and product quality of five crops (alfalfa, sunflower, white sorghum, sorghum, and millet) grown on weak, moderate, and strongly saline soils in Uzbekistan. The results showed that the crops were more resistant to salinity on weak and moderate soils than on strongly saline soils. The highest yields were obtained on weak soils, while the lowest yields were obtained on strongly saline soils. The product quality of the crops was also affected by salinity, with the best quality being obtained on weak soils. The study provides valuable insights into the use of saline soils for agricultural production. Saline stress has been the one of the biggest hurdles in achieving the demand and supply ratio of global population. To combat the growing problem of soil salinity, advanced soil management and irrigation technology are used. However, they are cost and energy intensive. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) attained from saline soils can overcome the detrimental effects of salt stress on plants. PGPR positively impact physiological functions of plants such as growth, yield and overcome disease resistance. T

Influence of Ultrasound Tempering on Flour Quality of White and Sumac Sorghum Milled on a Roller Mill

HighlightsDeveloped roller milling procedure produced high-quality white and sumac sorghum flours.Ultrasound tempering significantly improved the milling yield and flour quality of white and sumac sorghum.One-min ultrasound treatment resulted in flour with the lowest bran contamination for both sorghum varieties.Ultrasound tempering can be instrumental in producing flours with unique properties for diverse baking applications.Abstract. Sorghum, a nutritious and gluten-free cereal crop, is currently underutilized. The absence of standardized milling technology contributes to the low utilization of sorghum in food. Most existing milling methods adopted from other crops yield inferior flour quality with excessive endosperm loss. However, implementing appropriate tempering techniques prior to roller milling can enhance flour characteristics and yields. In this study, a roller milling technology was developed using a laboratory-scale roller mill to produce high-quality sorghum flour suitable for gluten-free applications. Ultrasound treatments were conducted using a probe-type ultrasound device with a frequency of 20 kHz and a power level of 600 W. The kernels were soaked in water (1:1 w/v) and subjected to ultrasound treatment set at 75% amplitude for 1, 1.5, and 2 min. After treatment, the kernels were drained, surface dried, and tempered for 24 h in sealed polythene bags to achieve a target moisture level of 17%. The effect of UST on milling and flour characteristics of a non-tannin white and red-tannin sorghum was investigated. The results were compared to sorghum milled using a standard tempering process (17% moisture). Ultrasound tempering (UST) significantly impacted milling and flour quality in terms of milling yield, particle size, damaged starch, and ash content. UST resulted in a significant reduction in the hardness index of both the white sorghum (72.6–73.6 from 79.02 (control)) and the red-tannin sumac sorghum (76.2–78.29 from 84.5 (control)). Notably, the milling yield of the white sorghum showed a significant increase with treatment durations, from 73.3% (control) to 76.6%–78.2%. The red-tannin sumac sorghum milled using the 1 min UST resulted in a higher bran yield (5.8%) compared to the standard tempering method (1.7%), indicating an improvement in milling efficiency. The 1 min UST resulted in efficient bran separation and improved ash contents for both the white (0.87%) and red-tannin sumac (0.69%) sorghum, as compared to their respective controls (1.05% and 1.4%). The principal component analysis clearly defined the inter-relationship among the treatment groups and analyzed parameters for both kernel and flour properties. Overall, the developed milling flowsheet was suitable for both the white and red-tannin sumac varieties, regardless of their differences in physical properties, and the use of UST has significantly improved the flour quality of both samples. Keywords: Flour properties, Roller milling, Sorghum, Tempering, Ultrasound.

Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Novel Analog Rice from Fermented Sorghum Flour by Rhizopus oligosporus and Soybean Flour

The need for food in the world is currently increasing, one of high consumption is rice. Analog rice is one of the products for rice substitute consumption to meet staple food with better nutritional value. In this research, the production of analog rice was made from fermented sorghum using Rhizopus oligosporus which has been studied previously with the addition of soybean flour fortification. Raw materials of sorghum grain were fermented using Rhizopus oligosporus to reduce tannin levels of sorghum and the addition of fortified soybean flour aims to increase the nutrition of analog rice. Analog rice production is carried out using the extrusion method with fermented sorghum flour with fortified soybean flour in a ratio of 0 to 50%. Nutritional value of analog rice (carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, minerals, and water), morphology, water adsorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), hydrophilicity, and consumer acceptance were characterized. The best nutritional of analog rice produced was obtained from the combination of 50% sorghum (red or white sorghum) and 50% soybean flour, which contained carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber of 58.29%, 17.07%, 14.47%, and 7.43% respectively. The increasing portion fortified of soybean flour was reduced the WAI and increased the density of the analog rice structure. These characteristics are friendly to diabetic patients since they are rich in carbohydrates, protein, and fiber. On the other hand, this analog rice has the potential to be consumed as a main food ingredient to replace paddy rice and develop to staple food. Moreover, the insignificant effect of the WSI value and hydrophilicity of the analog rice were observed. However, adding soybean flour as a substitute for analog rice was less attractive to consumers than analog rice without substitutes.

Bio-functional and prebiotics properties of products based on whole grain sorghum fermented with lactic acid bacteria.

Products fermented with lactic acid bacteria based on whole grain flours of red or white sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) added with malted sorghum flour, or with skim milk (SM) were developed. Composition, protein amino acid profile, total acidity, pH, prebiotic potential, and bio-functional properties after simulation of gastrointestinal digestion were evaluated. In all cases, a pH of 4.5 was obtained in approximately 4.5 h. The products added with SM presented higher acidity. Products made only with sorghum presented higher total dietary fiber, but lower protein content than products with added SM, the last ones having higher lysine content. All products exhibited prebiotic potential, white sorghum being a better ingredient to promote the growth of probiotic bacteria. The addition of malted sorghum or SM significantly increased the bio-functional properties of the products: the sorghum fermented products added with SM presented the highest antioxidant (ABTS•+ inhibition, 4.7 ± 0.2 mM Trolox), antihypertensive (Angiotensin converting enzyme-I inhibition, 57.3 ± 0.5%) and antidiabetogenic (dipeptidyl-peptidase IV inhibition, 31.3 ± 2.1%) activities, while the products added with malted sorghum presented the highest antioxidant (reducing power, 1.6 ± 0.1 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/mL) and antidiabetogenic (α-amylase inhibition, 38.1 ± 0.9%) activities. The fermented whole grain sorghum-based products could be commercially exploited by the food industry to expand the offer of the three high-growth markets: gluten-free products, plant-based products (products without SM), and functional foods. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Assessment of dietary exposure and levels of mycotoxins in sorghum from Niger State of Nigeria

This study reports levels of mycotoxins in sorghum from Niger State, Nigeria, and provides a comprehensive assessment of their potential health risks by combining mycotoxin levels and dietary exposure assessment. A total of 240 samples of red and white sorghum were collected from both stores and markets across four microclimatic zones. Fungal species were identified using a dilution plate method. Aflatoxins (AFs), deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, and ochratoxin (OTA) were quantified using HPLC, whereas cyclopiazonic acid, fumonisins (FUMs) and zearalenone were quantified using ELISA. A. flavus and A. fumigatus were dominant fungal species followed by F. verticilloides, A. oryzae and P. verrucosum. Aflatoxins (mean: 29.97 µg/kg) were detected in all samples, whereas OTA (mean: 37.5 µg/kg) and FUMs (mean: 3269.8 µg/kg) were detected in 72% and 50% of the samples, respectively. Mycotoxins frequently co-occurred in binary mixtures of AFs + OTA and AFs + FUMs. Dietary exposure estimates were highest for FUMs at 230% of TDI and margin of exposures (MOEs) for both AFs and OTA (<10,000) indicating a potential risk associated with combined exposure to AFs and OTA. The Risk of hepatocellular carcinoma cases (HCC/year) attributable to AFs and OTA exposure from sorghum was estimated to be 5.99 × 105 and 0.24 × 105 cases for HBsAg + individuals based on 13.6% HBV incidence. Similarly, the HCC/year for AFs and OTA were assessed to be 3.59 × 105 and 0.14 × 105 at an 8.1% prevalence rate. Therefore, the results of this study demonstrate the high prevalence and dietary exposure to mycotoxins through sorghum consumption, raising public health and trade concerns.

Effect of mowing numbers and cutting height on growth and forage yield of sorghum cultivar Giraffa grass

A field experiment was carried out in Al-Muthanna Governorate during the summer season 2021-2022. It included a study of the effect of two treatments of mow (cut one, cut twice) and four levels of cutting heights (5, 10, 15, and 20) cm on the growth and yield of forage white sorghum variety Giraffa grass. The experiment was applied according to the design of sectors. The complete randomized R.C.B.D with three replications, the response of the variety Giraffa grass to the number of weeds and cutting heights was estimated by measuring some growth characteristics, as the results of the analysis showed that the mow treatment (cut twice) was significantly superior by giving the highest average of the characteristic of the number of tillers.m-2 , the ratio of leaves to stems (%), and the yield of green and dry forage (tons.h-1 ) were 150.0 tons of m-2 , 41.51%, 19.14 tons.h-1 , and 1.53 tons.h-1 , respectively. As for the treatments for cutting heights, it was observed that the treatment was superior to 10 cm in the characteristic of plant height (cm) and the number of pruning, while the treatment was superior to 5 cm in the characteristic of dry forage yield (ton.h-1 ) and the ratio of leaves to stems (%) was 1.55 tons.h-1 and 34.72%, respectively, while the two cutting treatments were superior to 15 cm and 20 cm, giving the highest average yield of green forage, which reached (16.41 and 16.09) tons.h-1 , respectively

Anti-nutrient composition of starch isolated from red and white sorghum cultivars subjected to different steeping times.

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is a staple food that provides a major source of calories to large segments of the population living in semi-arid tropics of Africa and Asia. Steeping is an age-long process among all the available food processing techniques known to improve nutritional qualities, palatability and consumer appeal of sorghum. The effects of steeping periods on the anti-nutrient composition of starches from two varieties of sorghum (red and white) were investigated. Sorghum grains steeped for 6, 12, 18 and 24 h with water were processed into starch and sample from unsteeped sorghum served as control. The starch samples were analysed for anti-nutrients components using standard analytical procedure. Anti-nutrients investigated varied with cultivars and increased steeping time. Hydrogen cyanide observed was in the range of (1.34 to 1.86 mg/kg), tannin (1.30 to 4.82 mg/g), saponin (6.10 to 13.05 mg/g), oxalate (0.43 to 0.90 mg/g), phytate (2.15 to 9.06 mg/g), cardiac glycoside (9.30 to 13.35 mg/g), terpenoid (13.50 to 18.99 mg/g) and alkaloid (34.10 to 50.31%). The objective is to determine the anti-nutrients composition of starch from red and white sorghum. There was no significant difference between starches from the two cultivars of sorghum (red and white) in most of the parameters investigated. However, the red cultivar recorded higher values in some of the anti-nutrients investigated. The anti-nutrient levels significantly reduce with increase in steeping time thereby improving the bioavailability of mineral and other nutrients present in sorghum. Mixture of two varieties (red and white) could find applications in food formulations.