Extraction and dehydration of millet milk powder for formulation of extruded product

Abstract

Millet is a minor cereal possessing high nutritional value but its consumption is limited which is mainly due to the lack of ready-to-cook or ready-to-eat millet products. It is suggested that processing of millet to prepare RTC foods may increase its economic and nutritional value. The present study clearly focuses on the utilization of under exploited millets which are good source of energy, proteins and minerals responsible for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. It is also high in starch content which is a desirable property for extrusion cooking. Composite millets milk powder prepared with the combination of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) and pearl millet (Pennisatum glaucum) were utilized for preparation of RTC extruded product. The techniques used for processing the millet milk powder are soaking and extraction of milk from millets, dehydration and milling. The physical and functional properties of the composite millet powder were analyzed. The result of the composite millet powder and maida (control) indicated that the bulk density was ranging from 1.02 to 0.68g cm while swelling index varied between 3.46 and 3.87 and the water holding capacity of the maida (control) and millet milk powder varied from 0.9% to 0.93% which was suitable for quality extrusion. The mean scores of organoleptic evaluation showed that the extruded products prepared with the ratio of 50:50 of composite millet powder and maida (7.18) were within the acceptable range in all parameters which produced the most acceptable RTC extruded product in terms of nutrient content, color, texture and cooking quality and sensory characteristics. Therefore the results suggest that the investigated cereal processing technologies could be successfully applied to millets to prepare RTC or use products, and thereby increasing its availability, utilization and thereby consumption.