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Vol:.(1234567890)
Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization (2021) 15:4190–4204
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-021-00969-9
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REVIEW PAPER
Impact ofsprouting onphysicochemical andnutritional properties
ofsorghum: areview
K.M.Saithalavi1· AparajitaBhasin1· MudasirYaqoob1
Received: 25 November 2020 / Accepted: 17 May 2021 / Published online: 9 June 2021
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2021
Abstract
Sorghum is a cereal with significant genetic erraticism. Germination and fermentation are the traditional processing tech-
niques used to enhance its nutritional efficiency and digestibility. Germinated whole grains contain higher levels of essential
amino acids responsible for protein production in the human body. Sprouting partially digests the components of starch and
protein, decreases anti-nutritional factors, increases the supply of food materials with minerals and vitamins. Germination
also provides desirable flavor and taste. This review sheds a light on the process of germination, physio-chemical changes
during sorghum sprouting, the effect of sprouting on macronutrients, the effect of sprouting on anti-nutritional factors, the
effect of sprouting on bioactive compounds, along with health benefits. It also discusses the production scenario of sorghum
and the consumption scenario of sorghum.
Keywords Sorghum· Sprouting· Physico-chemical changes· Macronutrients
Introduction
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is an important crop
worldwide. It is ranked fourth among the major food grains
of India following wheat, rice, and maize. It is a common
source for the staple diet in many large Asian and African
countries. In addition to being a major source of human
staple food, it also serves as an important source of food,
animal feed, and industrial raw materials [1]. In the Indian
subcontinent sorghum is the secondary center of origin.
India has a huge variety of millets including sorghum [2].
Sorghum is a cereal with a significant genetic erraticism and
a rich source of phytochemicals, including phenolic com-
pounds, phenols, plant sterols, policosanols, carotenoids,
xanthophyll, and other important nutraceutical substances
[3].
The top 10 sorghum producers in these countries include
the United States, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia,
Australia, Brazil, China, and Burkina Faso. Together, these
countries represent almost 77% of the world’s production of
sorghum and 70% of the world’s harvested area. Together,
Africa and Asia makeup almost 83% of the area and produce
about 57% of sorghum production [4]. In the 1992–1994
periods, approximately 27 million tonnes of sorghum were
consumed as food each year worldwide, almost the entire
amount in Africa and Asia [5].
Traditional processing techniques such as germination
and fermentation are considered to have some beneficial
effect on sorghum’s digestibility and can be used to enhance
its nutritional efficiency. Germination or sprouting not only
produces low-viscosity gruel but also partially digests the
components of starch and protein, decreases anti-nutritional
and flatus-producing factors, increases the supply of food
materials with minerals and vitamin content. Germination
also gives the product a desirable flavor and taste. It induces
a substantial increase in protein, thiamine, invitro iron, the
bioavailability of calcium, invitro starch, and the digest-
ibility of proteins [6]. Malting stimulates the functioning of
hydrolytic enzymes, improves the breakdown of starch and
proteins into their simpler forms, reducing dry matter, and
improving the metabolism of food [5].
Germination not only induces a change in the sor-
ghum grain’s structure but also initiates several changes
in biochemistry and physiology. Intrinsic enzymes such
as amylases, proteases, lipases, fiber-degrading enzymes,
and phytases are activated, distorting protein bodies and
* Mudasir Yaqoob
mudasiryaquob@gmail.com
1 Department ofFood Technology andNutrition, School
ofAgriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara,
Punjab144411, India
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