Sorghum Flour

Historical records trace the sorghum plant, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, to Africa. Benjamin Franklin was thought to have introduced sorghum to the United States in the late 1700s. Sometimes known as one of the “4F” plants, it can be used for fuel, food, forage, and feed. The diversity of the crop has led to many uses: as broomcorn; in building materials, breads, porridges, and alcoholic beverages; for renewable fuel production; and as animal feed. Worldwide, grain sorghum is used for food, and because the plant is drought resistant, it is a predominant cereal in many developing countries, especially in parts of Africa and Asia. In the United States, most sorghums are cultivated for animal feed. Sorghum’s popularity as a food item is growing because of its unique nutritional profile and the efforts of several sorghum researchers and marketers.