EFFECT OF DIFFERENT TREATMENTS ON TANNIN CONTENTS OF SORGHUM GRAIN CULTIVARS.

Abstract

The effect of different chemicals on tannin content of two varieties of sorghum, namely sorghum white and sorghum red were determined. Triplicate samples of white and red sorghum were steeped with sodium hydroxide (0.05, 0.1 and 0.2%) and formaldehyde (0.05, 0.1 and 0.2%) at two incubation periods of 8 and 16 hours. At each incubation period alkali treatment was found to be more effective. However, results showed a significant (p<0.05) reduction in tannin content, when the sorghum was steeped in 0.2% NaOH for 16 hrs (0.05±0.005) compared with control (0.34±0.01). Steeping with water had significant impact on the total content of tannin (0.29±0.005) compared with untreated sorghum (0.48±0.03). The incubation time showed significant impact, however varietal difference was found to be nonsignificant. All the reagents including water showed significant (p<0.005) effect on tannin reduction. Reduction is influenced by incubation time, but not with the variety of sorghum.