High-tannin sorghum

Mitaru, B.N., Reichert, R.D. and Blair, R. (1983) Improvement of the nutritive value of high tannin sorghums for broiler chickens by high moisture storage (reconstitution). Poultry Science 62, 2065-2072. 

Tests for mycotoxins may be required if harvesting conditions or clinical signs are indicative of possible mycotoxin contamination. Regular tannin analyses are advised in countries that use high-tannin sorghums. 

Chibber, B. A. K., Mertz, E. T., and Axtell, J. D. (1980). In vitro digestibility of high-tannin sorghum at different stages of dehulling. /. Agric. Food Chem. 26,160-161. 

Elkin, R.G., Featherston, W.R., and Rogler, J.C., 1978, Investigations of leg abnormalities in chicks consuming high-tannin sorghum grain diets. Poultry Sci., 57 757. 

Detoxification of high tannin sorghum grain, Nutr. Rep. Inti., 17 229. 

What would happen to the chemical composition and yield of decorticated kernels of a high-tannin sorghum subjected to abrasive decortications to remove 25% of its weight Remember that most brown sorghums have a soft or floury endosperm texture. 

What are the main disadvantages of using high-tannin sorghums in mono-gastric and ruminant feeding ... 

Mehansho, H., Hagerman, A., Clements, S., etal. (1983). Modulation of proline-rich protein biosynthesis in rat parotid glands by sorghums with high tannin levels. Proceedings ofthe National Academy of Sciences USA 80, 3948-3952. 

Ford, J.E. and Hewitt, D, (1979). Protein quality in cereals and pulses. 3. Bioassays with rats and chickens on sorghum, barley and field beans. Influence of polyethylene glycol on digestibility of the protein in high tannin grain. J. 

Deshpande et al., 1982 Price et al., 1980). It appears from these reports that white-seeded strains contain no detectable tannins compared to colored seeds. Ma and Bliss (1978) reported that tannins were mostly associated with the testa layer of common dry beans, and that black seeds were usually higher than other seeds in tannin content. Although black seeds contained more tannin, few plants with colored, non-black seeds had high tannin contents. These observations were later supported by Deshpande et al. (1982). Similarly, several researchers (Thayer et al., 1957 Blessin et al., 1963 Stephenson et al., 1968 Harris, 1969 Damron et al., 1968 Mabbayad and Tipton, 1975 Nelson et al., 1975) reported no direct relationship between pericarp colors and tannin contents of grain sorghums. 

Schaffert, R.S., Oswalt, D.L., and Axtell, J.A., 1974, Effect of supplemental protein on the nutritive value of high and low tannin Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench grain for the growing rat,... 

Type III or brown Sorghums are denominated by a brown color, bird resistance, or high tannin... 

Mainly associated with testa of high-tannin or brown sorghums. 

An unusually high incidence of esophageal cancer has been noted in areas of South Africa where a sorghum rich in tannins is consumed. A positive relation has been observed between the tannin content of the sorghum and the incidence of esophageal cancer. 

Continued research is needed to determine differences in composition, protein-binding, and enzyme inactivation properties of tannins from different sources. The mechanisms involved in the detoxification of polyphenols are not well understood. Simpler processing methods are required to improve the nutritional quality of high-polyphenol seed types. Sorghums, millets, and legumes provide the main subsistence of peoples in the under-developed countries. Any efforts to improve their nutritional quality may therefore be expected to alleviate the severe problem of malnutrition existing in this part of the world. 

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