Processing methods of malted sorghum sprout impacts on the nutritive values
The separated roots and shoots left after malt extraction from the young sorghum seedlings are collectively called Sorghum sprout and being regarded a waste. The study was designed to investigate the effect of different processing methods on the nutritive value of malted sorghum sprout (MSP). TheMSP was divided into three parts: raw (RMSP), alkaline (wood ash) treated (AMSP) and fermented (FMSP). The proximate composition, fibre fraction and the mineral contents were determined and all data obtained were subjected to one way analysis of variance. Results revealed that the proximate and fibre fraction values of MSP were significantly (p<0.05) influenced by the processing methods. The highest dry matter (82.34%), ether extract (1.76%), ash (15.52%), neutral detergent fibre (63.00%) and hemicellulose (39.00%) values were recorded in FMSP. Fermentation and alkaline treatments reduced the crude protein while it increased the ether extract and nitrogen free extract of theMSP.Ash had the highest percentage value in fermentedmalted sorghum sprout (FMSP) and the lowest in raw malted sorghum sprout (RMSP). The concentration (g/kg) of calcium (14.45), phosphorus (67.92) and potassium (6.59) were significantly (p<0.05) highest in FMSP. The concentration (mg/kg) of iron (947.50) and copper (21.50) observed in AMSP were significantly (p<0.05) higher than the values obtained in FMSP followed by RMSP. It was observed that fermentation and alkaline treatment employed reduced zinc concentration values of the MSP. It can be concluded that fermentation processing method used in this study presented the best results in terms of the chemical andmineral composition values.