Sorghum Pasta and Noodles: Technological and Nutritional Aspects

The Role of Ancient Grains in Alleviating Hunger and Malnutrition

Meeting the United Nation's sustainable development goals for zero hunger becomes increasingly challenging with respect to climate change and political and economic challenges. An effective strategy to alleviate hunger and its severe implications is to produce affordable, nutrient-dense, and sustainable food products. Ancient grains were long-forgotten due to the dominance of modern grains, but recently, they have been rediscovered as highly nutritious, healthy and resilient grains for solving the nutrition demand and food supply chain problems. This review article aims to critically examine the progress in this emerging field and discusses the potential roles of ancient grains in the fight against hunger. We provide a comparative analysis of different ancient grains with their modern varieties in terms of their physicochemical properties, nutritional profiles, health benefits and sustainability. A future perspective is then introduced to highlight the existing challenges of using ancient grains to help eradicate world hunger. This review is expected to guide decision-makers across different disciplines, such as food, nutrition and agronomy, and policymakers in taking sustainable actions against malnutrition and hunger.

Starch-based noodles: Current technologies, properties, and challenges

Starch noodles are gaining interest due to the massive popularity of gluten-free foods. Modified starch is generally used for noodle production due to the functional limitations of native starches. Raw materials, methods, key processing steps, additives, cooking, and textural properties determine the quality of starch noodles. The introduction of traditional, novel, and natural chemical additives used in starch noodles and their potential effects also impacts noodle quality. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the native and modified starch as raw materials and key processing steps for the production of starch noodles. Further, this article aimed to comprehensively collate some of the vital information published on the thermal, pasting, cooking, and textural properties of starch noodles. Technological, nutritional, and sensory challenges during the development of starch noodles are well discussed. Due to the increasing demands of consumers for safe food items with a long shelf life, the development of starch noodles and other convenience food products has increased. Also, the incorporation of modified starches overcomes the shortcomings of native starches, such as lack of viscosity and thickening power, retrogradation characteristics, or hydrophobicity. Starch can improve the stability of the dough structure but reduces the strength and resistance to deformation of the dough. Some technological, sensory, and nutritional challenges also impact the production process.

Gluten-Free Sorghum Pasta: Composition and Sensory Evaluation with Different Sorghum Hybrids

Although whole grain (WG) sorghum is affordable and a healthier alternative to gluten-free pastas (GFPa), sorghum diversity requires evaluation for application in pasta. We aimed to develop GFPa using six sorghum hybrids. White commercial flour (WCF) and sorghums with brown (BRS 305 and 1167048), red (BRS 330 and BRS 332), and white (CMSXS 180) pericarp colors. Total phenolic content (TPC), total condensed tannins (TAN), total antioxidant activity (TAA—FRAP and DPPH), resistant starch (RS), cooking properties, texture, and sensory evaluation were carried out in sorghum pasta. The statistical analyses were ANOVA, Tukey and Friedman test, and multiple factorial analyses. Brown sorghum GFPa showed the best results for bioactive compounds (RS (1.8 and 2.9 g/100 g), TPC (69.9 and 42.8 mg/100 g), TAN (16.9 and 9.4 mg proanthocyanidin/100 g), TAA for FRAP (305 and 195 mM Teq/g), and DPPH (8.7 and 9.0 mg/mL)), but also the highest soluble solids loss (8.0 g/100 g) and lower flavor acceptance for BRS 305. BRS 332 was highlighted for its higher flavor acceptance and intermediary phenolics content. The most accepted pasta was obtained with WCF, and the least accepted with the brown BRS 305. Sweetness (SWE), soluble starch (SS), and DPPH were associated with liking. The main negative variables were WG_flavor, brown color, FRAP, sandy surface (SAN), WG_odor, and TAN. Sorghum hybrids of different pericarp colors are feasible for GFPa production, leading to differences in pasta quality. SAN and GRA, associated with disliking in antioxidant-rich GFPa, could be improved by milling process adjustments. Increasing the SS proportion and SWE with flavors can contribute to the balance between liking and nutritional advantages.

The Fabrication and Characterization of Pickering Emulsion Gels Stabilized by Sorghum Flour

Pickering emulsion gels have potential application as solid fat substitutes and nutraceutical carriers in foods, but a safe and easily available food-derived particle emulsifier is the bottleneck that limits their practical application. In this study, the function of sorghum flour as a particle emulsifier to stabilize the oil-in-water (O/W) Pickering emulsion gels with medium chain triglycerides (MCT) in the oil phase was introduced. Sorghum flour had suitable size distribution (median diameter, 21.47 μm) and wettability (contact angle, 38°) and could reduce the interfacial tension between MCT and water. The oil phase volume fraction (φ) and the addition amount of sorghum flour (c) had significant effects on the formation of Pickering emulsion gels. When c ≥ 5%, Pickering emulsion gels with φ = 70% could be obtained. Microstructure analysis indicated that sorghum flour not only played an emulsifying role at the O/W interface but also prevented oil droplets from coalescing through its viscous effect in the aqueous phase. With increases in c, the droplet size of the emulsion gel decreased, its mechanical properties gradually strengthened, and its protective effect on β-carotene against UV irradiation also improved.

Effective Use of Plant Proteins for the Development of "New" Foods

Diversity in our diet mirrors modern society. Affluent lifestyles and extended longevity have caused the prevalence of diabetes and sarcopenia, which has led to the increased demand of low-carb, high-protein foods. Expansion of the global population and Westernization of Asian diets have surged the number of meat eaters, which has eventually disrupted the supply–demand balance of meat. In contrast, some people do not eat meat for religious reasons or due to veganism. With these multiple circumstances, our society has begun to resort to obtaining protein from plant sources rather than animal origins. This “protein shift” urges food researchers to develop high-quality foods based on plant proteins. Meanwhile, patients with food allergies, especially gluten-related ones, are reported to be increasing. Additionally, growing popularity of the gluten-free diet demands development of foods without using ingredients of wheat origin. Besides, consumers prefer “clean-label” products in which products are expected to contain fewer artificial compounds. These diversified demands on foods have spurred the development of “new” foods in view of food-processing technologies as well as selection of the primary ingredients. In this short review, examples of foodstuffs that have achieved tremendous recent progress are introduced: effective use of plant protein realized low-carb, high protein, gluten-free bread/pasta. Basic manufacturing principles of plant-based vegan cheese have also been established. We will also discuss on the strategy of effective development of new foods in view of the better communication with consumers as well as efficient use of plant proteins.

Gluten-Free Cereal Products and Beverages: A Review of Their Health Benefits in the Last Five Years

In the past decades, food products and beverages made from gluten-free cereals were initially created for certain groups of people who experience gluten-related disorders such as wheat allergies, gluten ataxia, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and the most well-known, celiac disease. Nowadays, the consumption of gluten-free products is not only restricted to targeted groups, but it has become a food trend for normal consumers, especially in countries such as the UK, the US, and some European countries, who believe that consuming a gluten-free product is a healthier choice compared to normal gluten-containing products. However, some research studies have disapproved of this claim because the currently available gluten-free products in the market are generally known to be lower in proteins, vitamins, and minerals and to contain higher lipids, sugar, and salt compared to their gluten-containing counterparts. The use of other gluten-free cereals such as sorghum, millet, and teff as well as pseudo cereals such as buckwheat and quinoa has gained significant interest in research in terms of their various potential health benefits. Hence, this review highlights the potential health benefits of some gluten-free cereals and pseudo cereals apart from corn and rice in the last decade. The potential health benefits of gluten-free products such as bread, pasta, crackers, and cookies and the health benefits of some other non-alcoholic beverages made from gluten-free cereals and pseudo cereals are reported.

Texture and bio-functional characteristics of a Chinese steamed bread prepared from lotus root powder partially replacing wheat flour

Making low GI of the Chinese steamed bread (CSB) with acceptable eating quality is a challenge. A CSB prepared from wheat flour partially substituted by lotus root powder (LRP) showed good prospects. RVA profile and texture profile were determined to evaluate the texture, while animal test were used to confirm the bio-functional attributes. The addition of LRP effectively changed the RVA profile of lotus-wheat incorporated flour (LWIF). CSB prepared from 30% LWIF showed acceptable eating quality with higher springiness, cohesiveness, and recovery while lower hardness. After 12 weeks of 30% LWIF administrating, the fast blood glucose of diabetic rat decreased from 17.6 to 5.8 mmol/L together with the reduction of serum TC, TG and LDL-C. The hepatic histopathological examination and serum levels changes of SOD, CAT and FFA confirmed LWIF could effectively protect the liver of the diabetic rats from damage caused by oxidative stress.

Potential Application of Resistant Starch Sorghum in Gluten-Free Pasta: Nutritional, Structural and Sensory Evaluations

Gluten-free (GF) pasta samples containing rice flour replaced with 0, 5, 10, 15 g/100 g (w/w) of a resistant starch ingredient from annealed sorghum starch (annRS) were formulated. The highest total dietary fiber and RS contents (p < 0.05) were measured in uncooked pasta with 15 g/100 g of annRS addition (15-annRS). After cooking, the 15-annRS pasta was characterized by an RS content of 5.8 g/100 g dry matter, confirming the thermal resistance of annRS. The use of annRS positively influenced the optimal cooking time, the cooking loss, the firmness, and the stickiness of the cooked samples, with not remarkably change in color after cooking. The starch hydrolysis index values decreased as the level of annRS increased. Despite a significant decrease in the overall sensory with increasing levels of annRS, all samples were characterized by a value > 5, which is considered the limit of acceptability. The use of annRS in GF pasta up to 15 g/100 g can contribute to creating GF products with high total dietary fiber content, slowly digestible starch properties, and without drastically compromising the sensory attributes.