A gluten-free alternative to wheat and corn, grain sorghum is known as the “camel of crops” for its ability to grow and flourish on less water. Given its dietary benefits, demand in the U.S. market continues to increase. Sorghum is already used globally in many cultural diets; however, American consumers have recently become aware of this healthy, gluten-free, low-glycemic, ancient grain. What most people don’t know is how much water can be saved in agriculture by planting crops such as sorghum.
Kansas Grand sorghum is a byproduct of 40 years’ effort by a seed breeder and plant expert who wanted to produce a premium food grade white sorghum that could provide the baking industries with alternatives to commonly used gluten-free ingredients.
Pleasing a consumer who is used to the textures, density, mouth feel, crumb quality and chewiness of baked wheat products is not easy. Flour color is also an issue. The refined U.S. white flour palate has been slow in adapting to a whole grain menu. Sorghum has similar desirable characteristics to wheat; with the right gluten-mimicking ingredients, a loaf of bread or a pastry using sorghum as a base can be tasty and appealing to the American wheat consumer.
Food grade white sorghum has solved the issue of the pink or tan colors from red and other colored sorghum grains showing up in the flour and finished products. Pink bread is not a big seller.
Source: Better nutrition, less water, and gluten-free too… | Grains content from Southwest Farm Press.