International Sorghum and Millet Collaborative Research Support Program (INTSORMIL CRSP)
Date of this Version
5-2011
Document Type
Article
Citation
INTSORMIL Report No. 23, May 2011
Abstract
To help contend rising wheat costs Central American bakers are looking for alternative ways to produce their baked products at a low cost without sacrificing nutritional value or taste. Sorghum flour is the answer to their problems. Sorghum flour is about half the cost of wheat flour so using sorghum flour helps bakers save money and make more of a profit. Particle size of sorghum flour must be sufficiently fine in order to substitute for wheat flour in baking recipes. However, small grinders adequate for family level bakers have not been available in Central America. That is until a collaborative project involving the NGO Compatible Technology International (CTI) of Minneapolis, MN, USA, INTSORMIL and CENTA (Centro Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria y Forestal) El Salvador introduced the CTI grinders into El Salvador.
The CTI grinders are hand-cranked burr mills, or grinders, which produce flour from various grains. The two grinder models, Omega VI and Ewing were designed specifically for families in developing countries to process crops for consumption in the home and to sell in local markets. Sturdy and easy to use, CTI’s grinders are built to withstand challenging environments. Unlike other burr mills on the market, they come equipped with heat treated burrs that withstand wear. Both models can grind various grains such as sorghum.