RA 00048.pdf - OAR@ICRISAT

Table 10.
Effect of fermentation and temperature on digestion of sorghum proteins by pepsin.
Protein
Variety (%)*
Laboratory
Uncooked** cooked** Kisra** Abrey**
Dabar 8.7
Tetran 9.0
Mayo 9.1
100.0 55.7
91.4 46.7
73.1 43.6
65.4
76.0
-
86.2
-
71.1
* Protein contents of Dabar kisra. Dabar abrey. Tetran kisra, and Mayo abrey were 1 1 4 . 12.4. 10 4 and 8.7%. respectively.
** Percent of protein solubilized by pepsin. Average of duplicate values.
Table 11.
Nitrogen distribution in the Landry-Mouraaux (LM) fractions of pearl millet, maize, and sorghum
normal whole seeds.
% of total N
LM fractions Pearl millet Maize Sorghum
l
II
III
IV
V
albumin-globulin
true prolamine
prolamine-like
glutelin-like
true glutelin
22.3
41.4
6.8
9.3
20.9
16.6
38.6
10.1
10.0
20.2
10.0
15.7
31.3
4.5
29.3
Total N extracted
% protein in seed
100.7
14.3
95.5
10.7
90.8
13.5
trated in experiments with young children that
sorghum gives an acceptable protein digestibility
as well as nitrogen retention in mixed diets with
legumes. The results were almost as good as with
a rice/legume mixture. These results indicate that
sorghum contains potentially rich sources of
carbohydrates and proteins which can be utilized
only if proper supplementation with other protein
sources can be provided.
Conclusions and Future
Research
Studies of the nutritional value of sorghum grain
for human nutrition are only beginning and the
data accumulated so far are not adequate because
too little work has been done with the locally
produced food products. The enormous body of
data from animal nutrition with unprocessed
sorghum strongly suggest that, with the exception
of high tannin grain, the response of swine
and poultry as well as rats fed sorghum grain is
the same or slightly less efficient than the
response from other feed grains such as maize.
With ruminants a definite positive effect is seen
with heat treatment (micronizing) or steam flaking
of sorghum grain, again pointing out sorghum's
uniqueness in its compact physical structure
which for several purposes has to be overcome by
proper processing and cooking.
We also know that human populations have
survived and indeed flourished on sorghum-based
diets for hundreds or thousands of years. The
difficulties encountered in sorghum utilization
have been counteracted by locally developed food
preparation practices such as decortication and
acid and alkaline treatments, fermentation as well
as supplementation with other plant products, the
nutritional importance of which we are just
beginning to understand.
In the light of these observations, it is natural
that we should be concerned about the nutritional
quality of sorghum. The more information we
have on the nutritional quality of sorghum, the
more appropriately can we use this cereal grain in
600