Abstract:
Sorghum, cowpea, and cassava are underutilised gluten-free sources of flour that have
the potential to be used in bread products in sub-Saharan Africa. Excessive wheat imports affect
the economies of countries in sub-Saharan Africa, driving the search for wheat flour alternatives.
To extend the use of sorghum, cowpea, and cassava flours toward bread production, it is vital that
the sensory properties of these flours are better understood. A trained sensory panel evaluated and
described the sensory properties of flatbread models prepared from red non-tannin sorghum, fractions
(whole and dehulled) of two cowpea varieties, cassava starch, and designated flour composites. The
composites were prepared using cassava starch and sorghum flour at 0%, 35%, and 70%, respectively,
with 30% cowpea flour. The addition of sorghum intensified sorghum aroma in flatbread, while
cowpea flours contributed a beany flavour. Flatbreads from cassava-cowpea composites had a
chewier and rubberier mouthfeel, an intense fermented aroma and flavour, and a sour aftertaste
compared to single flours, but were most similar to the wheat flatbread, with a residual beany flavour.
Information from this study can guide food product developers toward developing new bread
products from sorghum, cassava, and cowpea composite flours, thereby moving Africa towards
a more sustainable food system. Further research on the effects of the sensory characteristics on
consumer liking of the flatbreads is needed.
Description:
Supplementary Materials: Table S1: Sensory descriptors and food reference guide used by the
trained descriptive sensory panel; Table S2: Training schedule for descriptive sensory evaluation
of the flatbread samples; Table S3: Sensory attributes of cowpea flatbread from different varieties
and milling fractions; Table S4: Effect of different composite ratios of cassava starch and sorghum
flours on the sensory attributes of flatbreads; Table S5: First six factor scores of principal component
analysis of 33 attributes of flatbreads from composites flours and control wheat flour, Video S1; Video
demonstration on flatbread preparation.
