Molecular features of fermented and sprouted sorghum flours relate to their suitability as components of enriched gluten-free pasta

- Fermented sorghum flour (15 percent) improves the cooking properties of rice-based pasta.
- Intact kafirins in fermented sorghum flour provide protein network stability.
- Starch and protein breakdown prevents use of sprouted sorghum in rice-based pasta.

Enrichment with other components may improve the textural and nutritional characteristics of rice-based pasta, often used in gluten-free diets. In this work, formulations based on enrichment with sorghum flour were tested. Sorghum flour was used in the absence of treatments, after fermentation by lactic acid bacteria, or was prepared from sprouted grains. Both fermentation and sprouting affected sorghum proteins, but with different mechanisms. Different proteins were affected by fermentation and sprouting, that also had a different impact on the thiol/disulfide balance. Sprouting, but not fermentation, resulted in significant breakdown of sorghum starch. As a result of these modifications, it was not possible to prepare acceptable rice-based pasta upon enrichment with sprouted sorghum flour. Conversely, fermented sorghum flour gave pasta with improved cooking properties with respect to both rice-only pasta and to pasta enriched with untreated sorghum flour.