Physio-Chemical Properties of Malted Sorghum as Material For Mucamalt Using Cashew Apple Juice Extract As Vitamin C Fortifier

Abstract

The search for a local raw material for the production of beverages necessitated the harnessment of cashew extract. The beverage produced is 100% local contents with easy accessibility to the raw materials, reduced production cost and increased economic revenue of Nigeria. Thus the aim of this research was to harness our abundant natural resources endured by God. Sorghum has a wide range of colors. The best known are the white, yellow, brown and the red types. Although the red type was used because of her high extract yields. The optimization temperature come to play and it was discovered that the best and highest extract yields can only be obtained at temperature between 80 to 85oC and the red sorghum meets this criterion. The influence of temperature, time and moisture on the enzyme activity and malting losses of germinated sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) were critically examined. The duration of germination and watering rate had the highest effect on enzyme activity and malting losses respectively. Vitamin C sourced from cashew apple fruits, the apple represents nearly 90% of the cashew (nut + apple). It is almost entirely edible, with pleasant flavor and aroma and high nutritive value, which is due mainly to high vitamin C and sugar contents. Sorghum used not as adjunct in this Mucamalt production but as main raw material along with Cashew Apple Extract, Vitamin C. However, the availability of the grain and seasonal cashew apple fruit (Between January to April) preservation poses a great problem to the brewing industry. The Mucamalt, a brand of malt drink was as a result of the well blended two local contents of red sorghum bicolor and red elongated cashew apple extract after careful selection through process optimization. Key. Key words: Apple juice, Cashew, Extract, Mucamalt, Nigeria and Sorghum.