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Effect of germination and probiotic fermentation on nutrient profile of pearl millet based food blends

Sonia Arora (Department of Foods and Nutrition, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India)
Sudesh Jood (Department of Foods and Nutrition, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India)
N. Khetarpaul (Department of Foods and Nutrition, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India)

British Food Journal

ISSN: 0007-070X

Article publication date: 19 April 2011

1004

Abstract

Purpose

Probiotic fermented foods are fast being recognized as health foods. Most of such foods are based on dairy products but little research work is available on coarse cereals and millets, which constitute the staple foods in developing countries. This paper aims to determine the effect of germination and fementation on nutrient composition of pearl millet based food blends.

Design/methodology/approach

Indigenously developed pearl millet based food blends containing raw and germinated pearl millet flour, whey powder and tomato pulp (2:1:1w/w) were autoclaved, cooled and fermented with 5 percent Lactobacillus acidophilus curd which supplied 106cells/ml to the slurry at 37°C for 12 h. The unfermented blends, after autoclaving, served as controls. The developed food blends were subjected to nutritional evaluation by using the standard methods of analysis. The data were statistically analysed.

Findings

Pearl millet based, germinated, autoclaved and fermented, food blend maintained adequate cell viability (8.64 cfu g‐1) as compared to non‐germinated food blend. Germination and probiotic fermentation caused significant improvement in the contents of thiamine, niacin, total lysine, protein fractions, sugars, soluble dietary fibre and in vitro availability of Ca, Fe and Zn of food blends.

Practical implications

Research is currently aimed at developing probiotic millet based food mixture, which had enhanced nutrient profile. Hence, it can be considered for commercialization after establishing its health/therapeutic implications among the population.

Originality/value

Dairy foods have preferentially been used as the carrier medium for probiotics. This paper explores the possibility of using staple foods as the carrier medium. The consumption of such food mixtures containing viable probiotic bacteria should be enhanced among consumers in term of their role in health maintenance and disease prevention.

Keywords

Citation

Arora, S., Jood, S. and Khetarpaul, N. (2011), "Effect of germination and probiotic fermentation on nutrient profile of pearl millet based food blends", British Food Journal, Vol. 113 No. 4, pp. 470-481. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070701111123952

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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