Reaction of sorbic acid in millet and sorghum doughs: Reaction with thiols

The fate of sorbic acid in pearl millet and sorghum doughs on cooking and storage is reported. A solution of sorbic acid added to the cereal flours gave a dough, which was cooked to give the product 'fura'. A significant amount (40%) of the sorbic acid was not recovered from the dough and fura on extraction with methanol. The use of acidified methanol leads to a quantitative recovery of that proportion of the preservative which otherwise becomes unavailable during the cooking of the dough and evidence is presented to suggest that sorbic acid-thiol adducts are formed at that stage.