Development of sustainable packaging solutions for extending the keeping quality of composite sorghum flours (SUSPACK)

About the project

UK-registered Partner: University of Reading – Jane Parker
Africa-registered Partner: Centre for Dryland Agriculture, Bayero University Kano – Hakeem Ajeigbe

Tuwo, a sorghum-based stiff porridge and a staple of the Nigerian diet, is rich in carbohydrates and fibre, but low in protein (hence essential amino acids) and essential micronutrients required for a nutritionally complete diet. Alone, sorghum-based products don’t improve the nutrient status of a population already at sub-optimal levels, with high incidence of diet-related diseases e.g., anaemia, stunting.

However, a previous GCRF-funded ICRISAT/UoR project developed a 70:30 sorghum:soy composite flour providing double the protein content of maize or sorghum and increasing iron content (80% and 34% respectively) whilst maintaining organoleptic quality of the “tuwo”.

Since addition of soy renders the flour susceptible to oxidation and reduces shelf-life, this project focuses on establishing an effective pre-treatment and packaging solution to ensure stability and extended shelf-life, by testing 6-8 different packaging films which exclude moisture and sunlight, thereby preventing the development of moulds, the onset of rancidity yet maintaining organoleptic quality.