Nutritional and Functional Enhancements in Coloured Sorghum Cultivars Through Popping: Impact on Bioactive Compounds and Antinutritional Factors

¹ Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Food Microbiology and Safety, CFT, VNMKV, Parbhani - 431402
² Associate Professor and Head, Department of Food Chemistry and Nutrition, CFT, VNMKV, Parbhani - 431402
³ Ph.D. Research Scholar, MIT School of Food Technology, MIT ADT University, Loni Kalbhor, Pune - 412201
⁴ Assistant Professor, MIT College of Food Technology, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar

^* Corresponding author: kishoranerao135101@gmail.com

Abstract

Sorghum is a nutrient-dense cereal which is gaining recognition as a functional food because of its high fiber content, antioxidants, and bioactive phenolic compounds. However, the presence of antinutritional factors (ANFs), such as tannins and phytic acid, can reduce its nutritional benefits by interfering with minerals such as iron and zinc which limits their bioavailability. This study underscores the impact of popping on the chemical composition, bioactive composition, and ANF content of three colored sorghum genotypes viz. Parbhani Moti (white), GP-1539 (Red), GP-2017-5 (Yellow). The popping method was optimized by varying soaking durations (1–3 min at 90°C) and conditioning times (6–8 hrs) while maintaining a constant temperature of 170°C. Post-popping analysis revealed a notable increase in dietary fiber content, while the total phenolic content (TPC) and total anthocyanin content (TAC) exhibited reductions from 289.20 mg/100 g to 28.92 mg/100 g and 53.30 mg/100 g to 21.32 mg/100 g, respectively. Furthermore, popping significantly reduced ANFs, with tannins decreasing from 0.30–0.34 mg/100 g to 0.08–0.13 mg/100 g and phytic acid levels dropping from 8.80 mg/100 g to 6.16 mg/100 g. These reductions improve the bioavailability of essential micronutrients, making popped sorghum a more nutritionally accessible and functional ingredient for its exploration into different Value-added food applications. Among the evaluated genotypes, Parbhani Moti exhibited the highest popping yield at 90.2%, followed by GP-2017-5 (83.3%) and GP-1539 (75.2%). The expansion ratio was also maximized in Parbhani Moti (5.6), in contrast to GP-2017-5 (4.7) and GP-1539 (4.2). The findings suggest that processing techniques such as popping can enhance the utility of sorghum in health-oriented formulations, particularly in snack foods, where its small, crisp texture offers advantages over traditional popped grains.