Sorghum better than mush
THE BATTALION Page 3
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1978
pereallovers face change
By MARTHA HOLLIDA
In the near future Americans may
ve a new flavor for their breakfast
leal thanks to Texas A&M Univer-
|y researchers.
JResearchers have found that sor
ghum, like other cereal grains, re
sponds to many types of processing.
For example, sorghum grains can be
Tjocessed into cereal flakes by re-
ioving the outer covering, puffing
d spraying them with sugar. They
may also be made into chips similar
to corn chips.
“We’ve made all sorts of food
products such as breads, cookies,
breakfast foods, snacks, tortillas and
exotic food products like tuo, a West
African porridge,” said Dr. Lloyd
Rooney, associate professor of soil
and crop sciences.
Some varieties of sorghum give
food products a greenish-black
color, but research is being con-
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ducted to obtain light colored prod
ucts, said Rooney.
“In general, one wants sorghum
kernels that have a white color and
can be easily processed into flour or
grits to use in making the various
products,” he said.
Sorghum is grown in the sub
tropical areas of the world and is
thought to have originated in India
or Africa. Some varieties are named
by the natives of these countries for
the characteristics they exhibit.
One variety in Ethiopia is named
“honey that melts in my mouth”,
because of its unique flavor.
About 20,000 varieties of sor
ghum are grown in the world, but
presently only a few varieties are
grown in the United States.
“Sorghum probably came to this
country through the slave ships. It
adapts to hot dry areas where corn
will not grow and where soil condi
tions are poor,” said Rooney.
Sorghum is the third leading
cereal crop in the United States, fol
lowing corn and wheat. Seven
hundred and fifty million bushels
are grown annually in the United
States and 40 percent of that is pro
duced in Texas.
“Though we have surpluses of
com and wheat in the U.S. at the
present time, there will be a need
for sorghums with improved food
characteristics in the future as soon
as a grain shortage occurs some-
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where in the world,” said Rooney.
He added that in 1973 food com
panies became interested in sor
ghum food products due to the grain
shortage.
“Here in the cereal quality lab
we re interested in finding out why
certain sorghums have better food
qualities so we can incorporate
these desirable characteristics for
use in U.S. sorghum crops,” he
said.
Nutritionally, sorghum is proba
bly the poorest of all cereals. It is
very low in lysine, which is the most
lacking amino acid in cereals, said
Rooney.
“The experiment station is in
terested in improving the use of
sorghum for food, feed and indus
trial products,” said Rooney.
Sorghum research began at Texas
A&M in 1905 and numerous sor
ghum varieties and hybrids have
been developed since.
Steel workers
picket in Texas
for higher wages
United Press International
VIDOR, Texas — Steel union
members Monday picketed a
Georgetown Stell plant owned by
the Korf Industry Group. The union
also picketed two Georgetown
plants in South Carolina.
The strike involved about 1,800
employees in both states including
750 at Vidor.
Union-company negotiations,
begun Dec. 1, broke off last Thurs
day. Workers are seeking a 30 per
cent wage increase and improved
medical benefits and life insurance.
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