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PAC, BAR launch book on sweet sorghum

Promoting the potential of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) as source of human food in various forms, the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) funded the book, “Sweet Sorghum Food Products: A Compendium” by Drs. Estrella C. Zabala, Fortunato M. Battad and Norman G. de Jesus of the Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC).

The book was officially launched during the 22nd BAR Anniversary with DA Asst. Secretary Clayton A. Olalia, BAR Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar, and PAC President Honorio M. Soriano leading the activity.

The book contains food products from the sweet sorghum grains and stalks highlighting food products from sweet sorghum of which 24 come from grains and one from the stalk. Likewise, it includes valuable information such as guide planting sweet sorghum, forms of utilization, nutritional contents, and suggested sweet sorghum menu.

Sweet sorghum is a promising cereal crop that could address problems on malnutrition and dwindling supply of alternative source of flour, an answer to the increasing cost of wheat flour.

The publication of the book is in line with 4Fs (Food, Fuel, Feed, Fertilizer) in sweet sorghum, which the International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) first introduced in the country through the leadership of Dr. William D. Dar. ICRISAT considers sweet sorghum as a smart crop as it produces food, fuel feed, and fertilizer, without significant trade offs in any of these uses in the production cycle.

Dr. Zabala, food technologist from PAC, developed the various food products from sweet sorghum with Drs. Battad and de Jesus who provided the technical support. Sorghum grains are processed into flour and is used as a substitute/or is the main material of the products either as whole grain, sprout, or in ground form.

Among the potential food products developed include soups and porridge (mushroom in sorghum soup, sorghum soup, veggie-sorghum soup, sorghum porridge with chicken, sorghum porridge, sorghum-choco porridge, pepper leaves in sorghum, and sorghum con moringa); native delicacies (pastillas de sorghum, sorghum native cake, native cake sorghum with langka, sorghum sapin-sapin, sorghum suman, sorghum-yam native cake, sorghum-squash native cake, sweet sorghum tupig, and sweet sorghum espasol; and meals (burger sorghum, sorghum in salty taste, sorghum in sweet taste, sorghum-veggie in oyster, sauce fresh, spring rolls with sorghum, and shanghai sorghum).

Likewise, the sorghum kernel can also be made into pop sorghum, which is a popular healthy snack. Aside from the grains, PAC has developed vinegar from the sweet sorghum stalks.

According to Dr. Honorio M. Soriano, Jr., PAC president, sweet sorghum has a huge potential as source of human food in various forms of high commercialization value. Its grains can be processed and used as alternative to rice.

In terms of production, Dr. Soriano added that, sweet sorghum can be grown throughout the year or at least twice a year and needs minimal time and cost compared to other field crops. “It is the only crop that provides grain and stem which can be used to produce ethanol, sugar syrup, jaggery, flour and other food items,” he said.

PAC has been conducting its own R&D activities related to sweet sorghum since 2004. These include varietal testings, fertilizer trials, development of sweet sorghum-based food products and animal feed, and ethanol production.

Sweet sorghum grain is higher in protein and lower in fat than corn. The mineral composition differs only slightly from corn and vitamin content is similar to that of white corn. A 200 g of cooked sorghum grain is a rich source of protein, vitamin B1, B2 niacin and iron, a good source of zinc, and provides 14 g of dietary fiber.

Written by Rita T. dela Cruz

Source: Bureau of Agricultural Research