Indigenous women’s knowledge as a functional traditional strategy for mitigating perceived rancidity in pearl millet flour

Published: 2026
Elsevier B.V. Food and Humanity, Volume 7
ISBN/ISSN: 2949-8244

Abstract

Pearl millet is a climate-resilient cereal that contributes to food and nutritional security in Sudan. However, its flour rapidly develops rancidity through lipase- and lipoxygenase-mediated lipid degradation, limiting its use and marketability. This study systematically evaluated indigenous rancidity-mitigation practices used by women in Al Gadarif State, Sudan, to extend the shelf life of flour. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining semi-structured interviews (n = 211) and focus group discussions across six villages, with analyses based on descriptive and multivariate statistics. Baladi White was the most commonly stored cultivar (57.8%), whereas Baladi Yellow was most frequently identified as the cultivar most prone to rancidity (57.3%). Shelf-life variation was substantial: 31.3% of households reported rancidity within 7–9 days, 29.4% within 4–6 days, and 16.1% reported stability for ≥ 15 days. Plastic buckets were the most common storage containers (82.0%). Women employed several indigenous practices to delay rancidity, including Damirga, a multistep process involving decortication, thermal treatment, spontaneous fermentation, sun-drying, and milling (49.8%); fermentation with wheat flour (15.6%); natural additives such as natron, red ginger, and black cumin (13.7%); and soaking (13.7%). Multivariate analyses revealed that rancidity-management behaviors created three distinct household clusters characterized by varying combinations of Damirga usage, additive selection, storage duration, and placement. Overall, the findings show that women-led indigenous practices represent culturally embedded, potentially low-cost strategies associated with delayed perceived rancidity and longer reported shelf life of pearl millet flour under household storage conditions. Integrating these practices into processing and storage strategies may offer a practical pathway to improve the quality and extend the shelf life of pearl millet flour in resource-limited environments.