Sorghum polyphenols and other bioactive components as functional and health promoting food ingredients

Sorghum is a versatile, drought and heat tolerant crop that fits well in sustainable production systems. Sorghum grain has attractive attributes highly relevant to modern food use, especially in relation to chronic disease prevention. The sorghum endosperm generally has a slower digesting starch profile than other cereal grains, which contributes to slowed gastric emptying and may thus benefit satiety and weight management. In addition, the diversity of phytochemicals in sorghum, especially the polyphenols, have been linked to various benefits, including improvements in glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, and lipid metabolism, as well as reduced fat accumulation, and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in recent human trials. Despite the health benefits, the use of sorghum as a food ingredient severely lags its potential. The review focuses primarily on highlighting some of the challenges facing sorghum as a modern food ingredient, and discusses how the unique chemistry and properties of sorghum polyphenols can be exploited to improve food quality, while providing enhanced bioactive functionality.