Abstract:
There is considerable interest in sorghum, millets and pseudocereals for their phytochemical content,
their nutritional potential and their use in gluten-free products. They are generally rich in a several
phenolic phytochemicals. Research has indicated that the phenolics in these grains may have several
important health-promoting properties: prevention and reduction of oxidative stress, anti-cancer, antidiabetic,
anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive and cardiovascular disease prevention. However,
increased research on the actual health-promoting properties of foods made from these grains is
required. Biofortified (macro and micronutrient enhanced) sorghum and millets are being developed
through conventional breeding and recombinant DNA technology to combat malnutrition in developing
countries. Enhanced nutritional traits include: high amylopectin, high lysine, improved protein digestibility,
provitamin A rich, high iron and zinc, and improved mineral bioavailability through phytate
reduction. Some of these biofortified cereals also have good agronomic characteristics and useful commercial
end-use attributes, which will be important to their adoption by farmers. Knowledge of the
structure of their storage proteins is increasing. Drawing on research concerning maize zein, which
shows that it can produce a visco-elastic wheat-like dough, it appears that the storage proteins of these
minor grains also have this potential. Manipulation of protein b-sheet structure seems critical in this
regard.
