A ready-to-eat breakfast cereal from food-grade sorghum

Two food-grade sorghum hybrids, ATx631*Tx436 (nonwaxy) and B.BON 34 (waxy), were micronized and evaluated for their potential use in ready-to-eat breakfast cereals (RTE-BC). Whole and decorticated grains were exposed to infrared burners and flaked between corrugated rollers. Whole B.BON 34 flakes had the lowest density, best flavor and texture, and the most starch gelatinization. Decorticated flakes from both micronized sorghums expanded more and had different texture than their whole grain flakes. Based on flake characteristics (texture, expansion, and flavor), whole B.BON 34 and decorticated ATx631*Tx436 flakes were selected for granola preparation. Granolas were prepared by mixing, baking, and cooling sorghum flakes, wheat bran, sesame and sunflower seeds, raisins, sorghum molasses, oil, fructose and water. A control granola was prepared with rolled oats instead of sorghum flakes. Texture and flavor were the most important attributes of granolas. All granolas were crispy, sweet, and had a nutty flavor. Decorticated ATx631*Tx436 granola had the hardest texture and remained crispy in milk for the longest time. Whole B.BON 34 granola was the most acceptable ; it was preferred (P < 0.05, n = 36) by a sensory panel over the dccorticated ATx631*Tx436 and control granolas. The micronized waxy sorghum, B.BON 34, produced whole-grain fiber-rich flakes with a puffed texture that resultcd in excellent granola-type RTE-BC and granola bars.