Fermentation and enzyme treatment of tannin sorghum gruels: effects on phenolic compounds,phytate and in vitro accessible iron

The presence of polyphenols and phytate in cereal products has been shown to interfere with the bioavailability of minerals such as iron. In the present study, we added enzymes (wheat phytase and mushroom polyphenol oxidase) during fermentation of tannin sorghum gruels prepared from flour with or without addition of 5% flour of germinated tannin-free sorghum grains (power flour), and investigated the effects on phenolic compounds, phytate and in vitro accessible iron. Assayable phenolic compounds were significantly reduced by fermentation, with high reductions observed in gruels with added enzymes. Fermentation of the gruels with addition of enzymes reduced (on average) total phenols by 57%, catechols by 59%, galloyls by 70% and resorcinols by 73%. The phytate content was significantly reduced by fermentation (39%), with an even greater effect after addition of power flour (72%). The largest reduction of phytate (88%) was, however, obtained after addition of phytase. The in vitro accessible iron was 1.0% in the sorghum flour and it increased after fermentation with power flour and/or with enzymes. The highest in vitro accessibility of iron (3.1%) was obtained when sorghum was fermented with addition of power flour and incubated with phytase and polyphenol oxidase after the fermentation process.