Sorghum Flour: A Valuable Ingredient for Bakery Industry?

The information from this study may provide opportunities for industrial application of sorghum seed flour as a useful bakery ingredient and a suitable alternative source of functional compounds to whole wheat flour. The chemical composition of sorghum was evaluated compared to that of wheat whole flour, showing high contents of mineral and fibers. Next were evaluated the dough rheological properties of flour mixtures using Mixolab equipment, “Chopin+” protocol. Finally, six bread samples were obtained from wheat flour with addition of sorghum seed flour in various percentages, in which three samples were fortified with Lactobacillus plantarum compared to the other three bread samples without the addition of any lactic acid bacteria. All six bread sample were compared to a control bread sample with wheat flour type 550. The results show the fat and raw fiber were higher in sorghum compared to whole wheat flour. Also, the content of magnesium, potassium, and iron were much higher than in whole wheat flour. A significant improvement of the sensorial characteristics was observed in bread samples in which lactic acid bacteria was used.