Fonio grains: Physicochemical properties, nutritional potential, and food applications

Abstract

Fonio grains are a type of small-seeded cereals native to Western Africa and are important cereal crops for food security. The two species are white fonio (Digitaria exilis) (commonly called acha) and black fonio (Digitaria iburua) (commonly called iburu). As a novel food, fonio has attracted attention from other parts of the world due to their attractive nutritional properties (e.g., in whole grain form and being gluten free) and potential food applications. The information regarding the functional properties and applications of fonio is rather scattered. This review summarizes the chemical composition, physicochemical and nutritional properties, and diverse food applications of fonio. The nutritional composition and processing properties of fonio are similar to other cereals. Fonio has potential to be complementary to major cereals for diverse food uses. There are research opportunities to better explore fonio grains for value-added applications.

Techno-Functional and Gelling Properties of Acha (Fonio) (Digitaria exilis stapf) Flour: A Study of Its Potential as a New Gluten-Free Starch Source in Industrial Applications

“…Fonio did not exhibit any foaming capacity, while millet and sorghum flours exhibited the highest FC and FS, probably due to their higher protein content. It has been reported that protein–carbohydrate interactions in fonio may contribute to the low solubility of fonio proteins [ 6 ], resulting in lower availability to interact with water and generate foam. No FS was measured in fonio, given that no foam was formed.…”

“…Despite its low agronomic yield potential, fonio is gaining importance as a crop and food ingredient due to its superior nutritional characteristics compared with other cereals, the increased market interest in traditional food, and its suitability to be grown in tough conditions, such as in arid soil. Fonio flour has been mixed with other ingredients to improve the nutritional and textural quality of different food products such as malts, beverages, sourdough, bread, puddings, crackers, breakfast cereals, and biscuits [ 6 , 7 ].…”

“…Fonio has a high content of calcium and iron, compared to the other cereals indicated in the food composition table of Mali [ 8 ]. Potassium and magnesium appear to be the major mineral elements in fonio grains [ 6 ]. The protein content of fonio is like that found in white rice [ 9 , 10 ], although it has a higher sulfur amino acid content (methionine and cystine [ 11 ].…”

“…Fonio has also been linked to health benefits such as the prevention and treatment of constipation, cardiovascular diseases, and hypertension [ 13 ]. The presence of polyphenols in fonio leads to antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities [ 6 ]. It is believed that fonio may have nutraceutical properties with a role in preventing and managing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes [ 5 ].…”

“…Despite the nutritional interest and health benefits of fonio flour, there is a lack of research on fonio compared to other major cereal grains [ 6 ]. An in-depth study into the techno-functional and gelling properties of fonio has not been covered in the available literature so far.…”