Proso Millet Nutraceutomics for Human Health and Nutritional Security

Abstract

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is a climate-resilient, ancient, and gluten-free cereal. This allotetraploid crop is healthy for humans and the environment. Its use as human food is steadily increasing, especially for people with diabetes and celiac disease due to its exceptional nutritional properties and gluten-free starch. There is no comprehensive review on proso millet seed nutraceuticals quantity, quality, characteristics, genetics, genomics (omics), and genetic improvement strategies. This review article aims to summarize published research on these aspects of proso millet seed nutrients and nutraceuticals. There are lots of reports on proso millet seed nutrients (macro, micro, and secondary metabolites) and their health benefits. There are a significant number of resources of “omics” tools for proso millet overall genetic improvement. However, no or very little genetic and genomic information (e.g., genes and genetic control mechanisms) and biosynthesis of majority of the nutraceuticals of proso millet seed are available. It may take years to see the full potential of “omics” for proso millet nutraceutomics. Phytochemical analyses and omics technologies are getting more efficient, faster, and cheaper. With this new opportunity, it is essential that proso millet scientists around the world especially food technologists, plant breeders, and geneticists of both public and private sectors work collaboratively for the genetic improvement of proso millet for nutraceutical. This will stimulate industries to use more proso millet in food products for human health and nutritional security under global climate change.