Substitution of maize with sorghum and millets in traditional processing of Mahewu, a non‐alcoholic fermented cereal beverage

• Published in: International journal of food science & technology 2024-03, Vol.59 (3), p.1421-1431
• Main Authors: Kudita, Sakile, Schoustra, Sijmen, Mubaiwa, Juliet, Smid, Eddy J., Linnemann, Anita R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beverages; Cereal crops; Cereal fermentation; climate change; Corn; Flour; Food processing; Lactic acid fermentation; Mahewu; Malt; Millet; non‐alcoholic fermented cereal beverage; Pennisetum glaucum; Porridge; Sorghum; spontaneously fermented cereal beverage; traditional processing; weaning food
• ISSN: 0950-5423; 1365-2621
• DOI: 10.1111/ijfs.16887

Summary There is growing interest in Sub‐Saharan Africa for substituting maize with climate‐smart crops like sorghum and millets in local food processing. We conducted a survey to explore current variations in processing and consumption practices for Mahewu, a traditionally fermented cereal beverage from Zimbabwe. Processing involved cooking a cereal porridge, adding cereal flour or malt as a starter ingredient, and fermenting for 12–48 h. Ingredient availability was the main driver for porridge ingredient choice (42% of respondents) with the most preferred being maize (55% of respondents), pearl millet (22%) and sorghum (9%). Final product taste had the most influence on starter ingredient choice, with most respondents preferring pearl millet flour (23%), finger millet malt (22%), wheat flour (17%), and sorghum malt (13%). Our study proves that maize can be replaced with sorghum and millet in Mahewu processing, thus increasing the climate‐resilience of future food systems, and demonstrates that traditional practices harbour clues for adapting current practices. The most preferred porridge ingredient in Mahewu processing is maize (55%), although some producers prefer pearl millet (22%) and sorghum (9%). The key determinant of Mahewu taste is the starter ingredient, the most preferred being pearl millet flour (23%), finger millet malt (22%), wheat flour (17%), and sorghum malt (13%). A survey on Mahewu processing conducted in Zimbabwe has revealed that maize is the most commonly utilised ingredient for the porridge step in Mahewu processing, although some rural producers also employ sorghum and millets. The primary factor influencing the taste of Mahewu is the choice of starter ingredient used to initiate fermentation.