Grain structure and grain chemical composition

© 2019 AACCI Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Sorghum and several species of millets (pearl, proso, foxtail, finger, barnyard, kodo, fonio, and teff) constitute a major source of calories and protein for millions of inhabitants in Africa and Asia, and sorghum is a major feed grain in other countries. These grains greatly differ in their chemical-nutritional and structural properties, which are affected by both genetics and environmental conditions. Within these species, there are differences in terms of appearance, grain physical properties, starch composition, essential amino acid composition or protein quality, fatty acid composition, and phytochemical profiles. Sorghum, in particular, is classified according to color and whether or not it contains condensed tannins. Sorghum and millets, like all cereal grains, are composed of three major anatomical parts: pericarp (bran), germ, and endosperm, which differ in their chemical composition. This chapter details the grain structure and chemical and phytochemical compositions of these relevant cereals.

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