By Tommy Hamamoto, U.S. Grains Council Director in Japan

With the holiday season around the corner, many may be looking for new recipes to try out. In Japan, the use of sorghum in food is not widely known. The U.S. Grains Council has been advocating the use of U.S. sorghum throughout Japan. The Council has launched a sorghum dedicated website, held a recipe contest, participated in trade shows, in-store tasting events, conducted seminars and had multiple visits with food companies.

There is now a new series of white sorghum food products available in the Japanese market, thanks to the Council’s sorghum promotion during the Japan Health Ingredients Show last month. Organic Foods Life Co., Ltd., has developed and started sales of several non-allergy products using U.S. white sorghum. They sell the pre-mix flour and ready-made sorghum pancakes, hotcakes and waffles online and in specialty food stores around Tokyo, including Nissin World Delicatessen and National Azabu Supermarket. Organic Foods Life Co., Ltd., also created a creamy salad dressing and frozen sorghum risotto.

Another company who visited the booth has also begun incorporating sorghum into recipes. The Norice Company presented samples to the Council of cookies, pound cake, and bread baked with a mixture of rice flour and white sorghum flour. They are continuing to find new ways to use white sorghum as an additional ingredient to improve the quality and flavor of their rice flour baked goods.

The Council will continue to educate and encourage the use of U.S. sorghum as a healthy ingredient to use in food. There have been positive results from the Council’s efforts and we hope the Japanese continue to embrace sorghum in the food industry.