Processing parameters affecting sorghum noodle qualities

Abstract

Processing variables of 100% sorghum noodles were investigated to determine effects on noodle quality. A dough was created by microwave heating a flour with 1 % salt (1 00 g): water (90 ml) mixture to 950C with a microwave. The dough was put through a forming extruder to create noodles. The extruded noodles were dried by a two-stage method under controlled environmental conditions of 60OC/ 100% RH for 2 h followed by 60OC/ 30% RH for 2 h. The noodles were smooth and straight when uncooked and appeared to be strong enough to resist fracturing during packaging and shipping. The noodle maintained its firmness after cooking. Three varieties of white food sorghum (ATx631*Tx436, ATxARG1*ATx631, and SC283-14) were decorticated and milled into flour using a break/ reduction roller mill system. Sorghum variety ATx631*Tx436 was also milled to a finer flour with a hammermill followed by the reduction rolls of the roller mill system. A commercially milled sorghum flour from Jowar Foods, Inc. was also evaluated. Normal sorghum flour with intermediate to hard endosperm and of an intermediate particle size index, without a large amount of pericarp, produced acceptable dry noodles with low dry matter losses and were firm and not mushy or chewy after cooking. The experimental process developed for sorghum noodles was transferable to rice, dry masa corn, and durum semolina flour to create noodles. The noodles produced in this experiment demonstrated that noodles with acceptable qualities could be made from non-wheat sources. The sorghum noodles produced in this experiment indicated that sorghum could successfully be used to produce a noodle from a non-wheat source for those who are gluten-intolerant, and that an alternative food product was created for areas where sorghum is a native grain.