Quality evaluation of millet (Panicum miliaceum) instant cereal product in Cebu, Philippines

Abstract

Millet is a collective term referring to several small-grained cereal crop plants belonging to the grass family which are used as human food and is considered an important staple in several countries in the arid and semi-arid tropics. With the increasing appreciation concerning the benefits of millet, there has been an inclination towards their consumption. Literature on the millet production, processing, and introduction of millet in the Philippines has been minimal, even though a few millet species are successfully grown in the Visayas region. This study was conducted to develop an instant cereal product from millet. This includes the milling of millet to powder, cooked, and packed for the desired amount. Five treatments representing five different concentration levels of millet (80%, 65%, 50%, 35%, and 20%) and five different concentration levels of powdered skimmed milk (20%, 35%, 50%, 65%, and 80%). A single factor experiment arranged in a complete randomized design (CRD) was used in the study. The study results showed that significant differences were noted in the sensory attributes in terms of colour, aroma, taste, flavour, mouthfeel, and the overall acceptability of the millet instant cereal product. The treatment with a concentration mixture of 20% millet and 80% powdered skimmed milk (4 g millet and 16 g powdered skimmed milk for a 30 g serving size) was considered the most acceptable. Proximate analysis of the millet instant cereal product showed that it contains 4.53±0.21 moisture, 2.60±0.03 ash, 0.34±0.08 crude fibre, 3.95±0.05 fat, and 8.61±0.11 crude protein. Based on the prevailing market price of millet ($4/kg) and skim milk powder ($3.5/kg), Treatment 5 had the least partial cost with $0.071 per serving size of 30 g. It can be noted that the lesser the amount of millet in the formulation, the better was the acceptability of each sensory attribute as evaluated, and the cheaper it was to produce the millet instant cereal.