Influence of Grain Size on the Agglomeration and Quality of Fine Couscous Derived from Decorticated White Sorghum Bicolor L.

Cherifa Mahieddine; Boubekeur  Nadjemi

doi:10.51745/najfnr.9.20.170-180

Influence of Grain Size on the Agglomeration and Quality of Fine Couscous Derived from Decorticated White Sorghum Bicolor L.

PDF (Full text)

Food Chemistry, Engineering, Processing and Packaging

DOI https://doi.org/10.51745/najfnr.9.20.170-180

Issue Vol. 9 No. 20 (2025): July - December, 2025

Submitted 2024-12-01

Accepted 2025-07-28

Published 2025-09-16

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.
No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

Aims: This study sought to estimate the effect of white Sorghum bicolor L. grain size and the decortication process on the production yield, physicochemical characteristics, cooking properties, color, and sensory quality of sorghum-based couscous.

Methods: White Sorghum bicolor L. grains originating from the same crop batch were initially separated into three distinct fractions based on their size. These fractionated grains were subsequently decorticated and milled to obtain sorghum semolina, which was then agglomerated to produce three respected homemade couscous samples. For comparative analysis, commercial ready-made durum semolina was employed to prepare a control couscous sample. All samples, including the control, were meticulously evaluated for their proximate composition (specifically protein, starch, and dietary fiber content), cooking properties, color indices, and overall sensory attributes.

Results: The three homemade couscous samples of sorghum were produced with a high yield, ranging from 88.42 to 90.27%, significantly surpassing the control yield of 82.30 %. The nutritional composition of the sorghum samples—namely the protein, starch and dietary fiber contents was both high and showed significant variations dependent on the initial grain size. The protein, starch, and dietary fiber contents in the sorghum couscous samples ranged from 11.45 to 14.67%, 60.18 to 75.51%, and 2.61–10.55%, respectively. Furthermore, the sorghum couscous exhibited a noticeably darker color compared to the control. Sorghum couscous samples A and B exhibited favorable cooking quality, although they required a prolonged cooking time. They also achieved moderate overall acceptability scores for appearance and color. Conversely, sorghum couscous C was characterized by poor cooking loss and received lower sensory attribute scores.

Conclusions: The findings definitively confirm the significant influence of grain size on both the semolina agglomeration process and the ultimate quality characteristics of the sorghum couscous. Moreover, the decortication process was associated with the production yield, particle size distribution, and color profile of the final sorghum couscous product.

Keywords

White Sorghum bicolor Grain Size Couscous Physicochemical Properties Nutrient Content Food quality

Cherifa Mahieddine

Ecole Normale Supérieure Mohamed El Bachir El Ibrahimi, Department of physical sciences, Laboratoire d’Etude et de Développement des Techniques de Traitement et d’Epuration des Eaux et de Gestion Environnemental. (Lab-EDTEGE), BO. 92 - 16308 Vieux Kouba, Algiers
Boubekeur Nadjemi

Ecole Normale Supérieure Mohamed El Bachir El Ibrahimi, Department of physical sciences, Laboratoire d’Etude et de Développement des Techniques de Traitement et d’Epuration des Eaux et de Gestion Environnemental. (Lab-EDTEGE), BO. 92 - 16308 Vieux Kouba, Algiers

PDF (Full text)

How to Cite

Influence of Grain Size on the Agglomeration and Quality of Fine Couscous Derived from Decorticated White Sorghum Bicolor L . (2025). The North African Journal of Food and Nutrition Research, 9(20), 170-180. https://doi.org/10.51745/najfnr.9.20.170-180

More Citation Formats

Download Citation

AACC International, Approved methods of analysis, 11th Ed. Method 66-50.01. Pasta and Noodle Cooking Quality-Firmness. Approved November 3, 1999. AACC International. St. Paul; MN, USA. https://dx.doi.org/10.1094/AACCIntMethod66-50.01

Aboubacar, A., Yazici, N., & Hamaker, B. R. (2006). Extent of decortication and quality of flour, couscous and porridge made from different sorghum cultivars. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 41(6), 698–703. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2621.2005.01138.x

Aboubacar, A., & Hamaker, B. R. (1999). Physicochemical properties of flours that relate to sorghum couscous quality. Cereal Chemistry, 76(2), 308–313. https://doi.org/10.1094/cchem.1999.76.2.308

Anglani, C. (1998). Sorghum for human food – A review. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands), 52(1), 85–95. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1008065519820

AOAC official method 978.10, Fibre (crude) in animal feed and pet food, official methods of analysis of AOAC international, 18th edition (2005), chapter 4, pp. 46-47, AOAC International, Gaithersburg, MD.

Aydin, E. (2022). Evaluation of chemical composition and cooking properties of Turkish type gluten-free rice couscous. Czech Journal of Food Sciences, 40(6), 427–437. https://doi.org/10.17221/223/2021-cjfs

Biao, C. (2017). PROCESSING: Fast-cooking yam couscous. Spore, 186, 15.

Chemache, L., Kehal, F., Namoune, H., Chaalal, M., & Gagaoua, M. (2018). Couscous: Ethnic making and consumption patterns in the Northeast of Algeria. Journal of Ethnic Foods, 5(3), 211–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jef.2018.08.002

Cruz, J. F., Hounhouigan Djidjoho, J., Havard, M., & Ferré, T. (2020). La transformation des grains (p. 198). éditions Quae. https://doi.org/10.35690/978-2-7592-2784-6

Elkhalifa, A. E. O., Bernhardt, R., Cardone, G., Marti, A., Iametti, S., & Marengo, M. (2017). Physicochemical properties of sorghum flour are selectively modified by combined germination-fermentation. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 54(10), 3307–3313. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-017-2781-7

FAO. (1995). Introduction. In: Sorghum and millets in human nutrition, p. 1-12. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/e3a49e1f-c5e5-4394-b29b-087c0bac81b8/content/t0818e.htm

Gierz, Ł., Kolankowska, E., Markowski, P., & Koszela, K. (2022). Measurements and analysis of the physical properties of cereal seeds depending on their moisture content to improve the accuracy of DEM simulation. Applied Sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 12(2), 549. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12020549

Hama, F., Icard-Vernière, C., Guyot, J.-P., Picq, C., Diawara, B., & Mouquet-Rivier, C. (2011). Changes in micro- and macronutrient composition of pearl millet and white sorghum during in field versus laboratory decortication. Journal of Cereal Science, 54(3), 425–433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2011.08.007

Hayes, A. M. R., Swackhamer, C., Mennah-Govela, Y. A., Martinez, M. M., Diatta, A., Bornhorst, G. M., & Hamaker, B. R. (2020). Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) couscous breaks down faster than wheat couscous in the Human Gastric Simulator, though has slower starch hydrolysis. Food & Function, 11(1), 111–122. https://doi.org/10.1039/c9fo01461f

ISO 20483:2013. Cereal and pulses- Determination of the nitrogen content and calculation of the crude protein content-Kjerdahl method.

ISO 5554:1978. Meat products — Determination of starch content (Reference method).

Kent, M., & Rooney, W. (2021). Effects of field processing of sorghum grain on popping traits. Agronomy (Basel, Switzerland), 11(5), 839. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050839

Khalid, W., Ali, A., Arshad, M. S., Afzal, F., Akram, R., Siddeeg, A., Kousar, S., Rahim, M. A., Aziz, A., Maqbool, Z., & Saeed, A. (2022). Nutrients and bioactive compounds of Sorghum bicolor L. used to prepare functional foods: a review on the efficacy against different chronic disorders. International Journal of Food Properties, 25(1), 1045–1062. https://doi.org/10.1080/10942912.2022.2071293

Lee, W. J., Pedersen, J. F., & Shelton, D. R. (2002). Relationship of Sorghum kernel size to physiochemical, milling, pasting, and cooking properties. Food Research International (Ottawa, Ont.), 35(7), 643–649. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0963-9969(01)00167-3

Martinez, C. S., Ribotta, P. D., León, A. E., & Añón, M. C. (2007). Physical, sensory and chemical evaluation of cooked spaghetti. Journal of Texture Studies, 38(6), 666–683. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4603.2007.00119.x

McDowell, R., Banda, L., Bean, S. R., Morris, G. P., & Rhodes, D. H. (2024). Grain yellowness is an effective predictor of carotenoid content in global sorghum populations. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 25132. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-75451-9

Messia, M. C., Oriente, M., Angelicola, M., De Arcangelis, E., & Marconi, E. (2019). Development of functional couscous enriched in barley β-glucans. Journal of Cereal Science, 85, 137–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2018.12.007

Mora-Ramirez, I., Weichert, H., von Wirén, N., Frohberg, C., de Bodt, S., Schmidt, R.-C., & Weber, H. (2021). The da1 mutation in wheat increases grain size under ambient and elevated CO2 but not grain yield due to trade-off between grain size and grain number. Plant-Environment Interactions (Hoboken, N.J.), 2(2), 61–73. https://doi.org/10.1002/pei3.10041

Pan, L., Ma, X., Hu, J., Liu, L., Yuan, M., Liu, L., Li, D., & Piao, X. (2019). Low-tannin white sorghum contains more digestible and metabolisable energy than high-tannin red sorghum if fed to growing pigs. Animal Production Science, 59(3), 524–530. https://doi.org/10.1071/an17245

Pathare, P. B., Opara, U. L., & Al-Said, F. A.-J. (2013). Colour measurement and analysis in fresh and processed foods: A review. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 6(1), 36–60. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-012-0867-9

Rochmawati, N. (2019). Food Science & Sensory Analysis. OTTIMMO International Master Gourmet Academy

Sissons, M., Cutillo, S., Marcotuli, I., & Gadaleta, A. (2021). Impact of durum wheat protein content on spaghetti in vitro starch digestion and technological properties. Journal of Cereal Science, 98(103156), 103156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2020.103156

Suwonsichon, S. (2019). The importance of sensory lexicons for research and development of food products. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 8(1), 27. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods8010027

Taylor, A. J., & Hort, J. (2007). Modifying flavour: an introduction. In Modifying Flavour in Food (pp. 1–9). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1533/9781845693367.1

Taylor, J., & Taylor, J. (2008). Five simple methods for the determination of sorghum grain end-use quality (with adaptations for those without laboratory facilities). https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1016&context=intsormilpubs

Wang, J., Li, Y., Guo, X., Zhu, K., & Wu, Z. (2024). A review of the impact of starch on the quality of wheat-based noodles and pasta: From the view of starch structural and functional properties and interaction with gluten. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 13(10), 1507. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13101507

Xiong, Y., Zhang, P., Warner, R. D., & Fang, Z. (2019). Sorghum grain: From genotype, nutrition, and phenolic profile to its health benefits and food applications. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 18(6), 2025–2046. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12506

Yetneberk, S., Rooney, L. W., & Taylor, J. R. N. (2005). Improving the quality of sorghum injera by decortication and compositing with tef. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 85(8), 1252–1258. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.2103

Yoganandan, M., Bean, S. R., Miller-Regan, R., Dogan, H., Pulivarthi, M. K., & Siliveru, K. (2021). Effect of tempering conditions on white sorghum milling, flour, and bread properties. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 10(8), 1947. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10081947

Yuksel, A. N., Öner, M. D., & Bayram, M. (2017). Development and characterization of couscous-like product using bulgur flour as by-product. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 54(13), 4452–4463. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-017-2926-8

More

Influence of Grain Size on the Agglomeration and Quality of Fine Couscous Derived from Decorticated White Sorghum Bicolor L.

Keywords

How to Cite

Similar Articles

Downloads 155

Views 433

Country (Top 10)

Make a Submission

JournalIssue

Keywords

Browse by Category

Information

Highly Accessed

Published by

Useful Links

Connect

Contact Us