Assessment of nutritional quality of non‐conventional millet malt enriched bar

Abstract

Millet malt is a nutrient-dense diet for children and elders. There is a lack of research studies dealing with malt-based protein substitutes in snack bars. This research presents a novel concept for using millet malt for the production of the snack bar. Given health credentials, millet malt can be a healthier alternative to conventional snack bars. The study found the effect of millet malt addition ranges from 10, 12, 14, and 16% on the quality of snack bars. The most acceptable snack bar was millet malt level at 12% (M12), which contributes to 21.82% of protein and 450 kcal of energy. Millet malt–enriched bars (MMEB) have good antioxidant activity (95.89%), in vitro protein digestibility (79.08%), and total phenolic content (105.7%), which provide several health benefits and increase the oxidative stability of food. This research depicted effectively the use of millet malt for snack bars as a nutritional supplement in a low-protein bar. The developed MMEB can recommend for nutritionally risk groups like malnutrition and protein deficiency. Novelty impact statement The novelty of the present invention millet malt bar comprises the following: The underused millet malt was used as a plant protein source and plant protein was made from millet malt by liquefaction and deproteinization process, which contributes to greater protein digestibility. Natural color and flavor obtained from millet malt syrup by saccharification process were used as the substitute for artificial additives. It has a good balance of protein and energy, besides regular enhanced nutrition, and possesses greater antioxidant activity with the contribution of phenolic compounds. Nutribar provides all the essential nutrients, packed with fiber and phytochemicals.