Millets- Health Benefits and Processing Methods Tanvi Bansal1 and Asha Kawatra2 1 Ph.D Scholar and 2 Professor 1&2Department of Foods and Nutrition, Chaudhary Charan Singh Agricultural University, Hisar-125004, .

Abstract Millets represent the major source of dietary energy and protein for more than a billion people in the semi-arid tropical regions. These are nutri cereals that includes , sorghum, finger millet (major millets) foxtail, proso, kodo, little, and barnyard millet (minor millets). They are profoundly nutritious, non- glutinous and non acidic nourishments. They contain high amounts of dietary fiber, B-complex nutrients, essential amino acids, vitamin E and unsaturated fats. They are especially high in minerals, iron, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium and delivers lesser amount of glucose over a longer time frame causing satiety which brings down the danger of diabetes (low glycemic index foods). The challenge is to food-process millet in to tasty and ready to eat foods like biscuits, noodles and and as Ready to eat and Ready to cook novel foods that could help millet growers to fetch better income. In order to keep up the momentum and the sustainability of commercialization process, entrepreneurship development of the stakeholders is necessitated through interventions in food processing and product development and nutritional evaluation. Keywords: Millets, Health benefits, Nutritional information, Value added products, Food processing method, Product development.

Introduction Millets are important food and fodder crop in the semi-arid tropics of the world and grows in both kharif and rabi seasons. These grains represent the major source of dietary energy and protein for more than a billion people in the semi-arid tropics. Millets are nutri cereals comprising of pearl millet, sorghum, finger millet (major millets) foxtail, proso, kodo, little, and barnyard millet (minor millets). Millets are the super foods for the present and future, their short growing season and ready to harvest plants make them commercially sound. When properly stored, whole millets can be kept safely for almost two or more. The challenge is to food-process millet in to tasty and ready to eat foods like biscuits, noodles and and as Ready to eat and Ready to cook novel foods that could help millet growers to fetch better income. In order to keep up the momentum and the sustainability of commercialization process, Entrepreneurship development of the

“Advance Research in Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences” ISBN: 978-81-948426-5-1 119 Tanvi Bansal and Asha Kawatra stakeholders is necessitated through interventions in food processing and product development and nutritional evaluation.

Figure 1 : Millet grains

Nutritional and health benefits of millets Millets have been considered to be staple diet and a wage earner for farmers especially in the semi-arid regions. They are profoundly nutritious, non- glutinous and non acidic nourishments. They contain high amounts of dietary fiber, B-complex nutrients, essential amino acids, vitamin E and unsaturated fats. They are especially high in minerals, iron, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium and leads to lesser release of glucose over a longer time frame causing satiety which brings down the danger of diabetes (low glycemic index foods). These grains are high in sugars, with protein content shifting from 6 to 11 percent and fat changing from 1.5 to 5 percent. Millets were indeed one of the oldest foods known to humans but they were discarded in favor of wheat and rice with urbanization and industrialization. Therefore, the ultimate goal of entrepreneurship development programmes is to disseminate thorough knowledge of post-harvest management which includes linkage of farmers with market, processing and nutritional importance of millets.

“Advance Research in Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences” ISBN: 978-81-948426-5-1 Millets- Health Benefits and Processing Methods 120 Table 1: Nutritional composition (per 100g)

Source : Indian Food Composition Tables, NIN – 2017 and *Nutritive value of Indian foods, NIN – 2007 Millets are also rich sources of phytochemicals and micronutrients. Phytochemicals such as β-glucan, phenolics, resistant starch, lignans, sterols, inulin, phytates, and carotenoids. Phenolic acids and tannins are the main polyphenols, while small quantities of flavonoids are present; they act as immune system by playing many roles in the body, being antioxidant. One of the major factor behind complication of ageing and diabetes, is the reaction between the aldehyde group of reducing sugars and the amino group of proteins, termed as non-enzymatic glycosylation. Effects of migraine and heart attack are reduced by millet consumption as these are good sources of magnesium and these grains being rich in phyto-chemicals containing phytic acid have research based evidences for lowering cholesterol.

Table 2: Health benefits of millets

Health Disorder Potential Assistance Properties of millet

Anemia Enhancing the level of Hb High iron and Zinc content

“Advance Research in Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences” ISBN: 978-81-948426-5-1 121 Tanvi Bansal and Asha Kawatra Constipation Reducing the problem of constipation High fiber

Cancer Anti carciogenic property, Reduce the Antioxidant property, risk of tumor development high flavonoids

Diabetes Anti-diabetic Low glycemic index

Celiac disease Anti allergic Gluten free

Diarrhoea Act as Probiotic Lactobacillus

Non Inhibits DNA scission, LDL Flavonoids, Omega 3 Communicable cholesterol, liposome oxidation and fatty acids Diseases proliferation of cancer cells.

Processing of Millets Improvement in human nutritional status of the nation cannot be separated from agriculture. To make the right nutritious food available to consumers, processing of grains plays the vital role as only the palatable products are accepted and eaten by the maximum population in the long run. Processing of grains and millets assumes noteworthy job during its use as food. Innovative technologies are utilized for attaining edible form of grain and accordingly improving its quality. Different conventional strategies for preparing are still generally utilized, especially in parts of the semi–dry tropics where millet is grown essentially for human utilization. Most traditional processing techniques are laborious, monotonous, time- consuming, and manual. Traditional techniques that are commonly used include soaking, decortication (usually by pounding followed by winnowing or sometimes sifting), malting, germination, fermentation, roasting, flaking and pounding. Minor millets can be consumed by processing them into rice, flour, sprouting, roasted, popped, salted ready-to-eat grains, porridges and fermented products. The main purpose of processing is to minimize the qualitative and quantitative deterioration of the material during post-harvest. The millet processing operations mainly involves: ▪ Primary processing Purification of raw materials by removing foreign matter, immature grain and making into the suitable form for secondary processing through

“Advance Research in Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences” ISBN: 978-81-948426-5-1 Millets- Health Benefits and Processing Methods 122 grading, destoning and dehulling. The bulk operations of these processes can be done mechanically. Primary processing of the grain is removal of impurities, foreign and contaminants from the grain that are necessary to improve the storage capacity of the grain and consumer acceptability for usage. ▪ Secondary processing Processing of primary processed raw material into product which is suitable for food uses or consumption such as Ready-To-Eat (RTE) and Ready-To- Cook (RTC) products, which minimizes the cooking time and make it convenience foods. Significance of Processing Intervention and Value added Products Low-availability of RTE and RTC millet based food items in market contributes to the lower consumption of millets. This situation was seen to be proportional to the increase in production expenditure and increased income is accompanied by increased consumption of wheat and rice, as products made from these cereals are easy to prepare and have better keeping quality. Simultaneously, individuals have expanded their propensity to eat a more prominent variety of foods. The possibilities of technological change could maybe change the situation for increased production and utilization of millet. Inspite of high nutrient profile, pearl Millet faces the following major constraints in its utilization: • Rapid change in food habits • Easy access to rice and wheat through PDS • Presence of coarse fibrous seed coat, coloured pigments, astringent flavour and poor keeping quality of the food products • Drudgery in processing millet • Absence of appropriate processing technologies to yield shelf stable products • Nutritional characters of millets are less exploited for commercialization - lack of awareness about the health benefits

“Advance Research in Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences” ISBN: 978-81-948426-5-1 123 Tanvi Bansal and Asha Kawatra • Utilization of millets for food is still mostly confined to the traditional consumers due to the non-availability of these grains in ready-to-use or ready-to-eat forms • Poor status attached, Neglected marketing & policy front- Lack of assured procurement and non-supply of millets under PDS, Non- availability of HYVs, quality seeds of small millets, low marketed surplus- lack of continuous supply chain management. Taking due consideration of the present context, renewed efforts are being made to create demand for millet through processing interventions by diversifying its food uses; integrating all functions from on-farm production to consumption in a ‘production to consumption value-chain. Various government and non-government organizations and institutions that are performing these integrated functions include National institute of Nutrition, ICAR- Indian Institute of Millets Research, CFTRI, CSIR, IFPRI, Dwiji- The millet foundation, IARI, Central Agricultural Universities, State Agricultural Universities, etc. and more on-going millet associated R&D under AICRP, ICRISAT, APEDA, WCD, FPO, IIFPT, DHAN Foundation, DFRL, NCAP, COEs, NIFTEM, etc. Efforts of all the organizations are interlinked and equally important for making the millet based foods available to the consumers. The developed, standardized millet based value added products that are widely popular includes: - Multigrain atta - Semolina (fine & medium) and shelf stable flour and grits - Flakes, puffs and popped mixtures - Bakery and confectionery products (cakes, biscuits, breads, buns, ) - Traditional products (ladoo, halwa, sev, matar, shakarpara, suhali, , churma, mathri, bakli, , ) - Extruded products (Noodles, pasta & vermicelli) - Convenience mixes (halwa mix, ladoo mix, dhokla mix, idli mix, mix, mix, khichri mix, nutrimix) - Pearl millet based sugar free and gluten free biscuits. There are large variety of commercialized millet based products that are available in the market with different brand names and many more developed ones are to be commercialized. “Advance Research in Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences” ISBN: 978-81-948426-5-1 Millets- Health Benefits and Processing Methods 124 Various training programmes are also needed for the stakeholders that includes progressive farmers, rural entrepreneurs, NGOs, SHGs, small and medium scale processors, women group entrepreneurs on topics such as Nutritional importance of millets, Post Harvest Technologies of Millets, product development and Branding, Packaging and labelling. Value addition in food processing has high degree of interdependence with forward and backward linkages and hence can play an important role accelerating economic development. Value addition has many consumer benefits such as simple, low-cost processing and packaging technologies which can improve the shelf life and storage quality of food and preserve many of the health promoting compounds.

Figure 2: Millet based food products

Cleaning and grading of millet grain To keep grains safe for a long time without deterioration in their chemical and physical properties, their drying is required to reduce moisture content. Cleaning, destoning and grading of the millets are very important part of primary processing prior to the grains are subjected to the dehusking to make them free unwanted foreign matters. Earlier, millet grains were cleaned manually but nowadays, destoner machine are available for doing this when it is required on a large scale, although it might still be done manually at the household level. Pearling of millets/ Dehulling/ Decortication/ Dehulling is used to split the anatomical parts of the grain, which was done by hand pounding previously. With new inventions, these are now milled in rice “Advance Research in Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences” ISBN: 978-81-948426-5-1 125 Tanvi Bansal and Asha Kawatra milling machinery but with little modification in the process. As millet grains have firm seed coat grains, removal of husk is the first processing step. Centrifugal sheller can also be used to dehull the small millets. Equipment used for millet dehulling: 1. Sorghum and pearl millet dehuller Dehuller unit is utilized to expel the coarse external layer of millets, which has less impact on dietary quality. The breakage is ostensible during dehulling. Fine flour created from dehulled grain is utilized for the preparation of different bakery items, snacks and instant mixes that looks like rice and wheat items in quality. Every millet has distinctive dehuller machine as the seed coat changes for every millet. The unit for sorghum and pearl millet can dehull 10-15 kg grain for each group in a short time. 2. Small millet dehuller The unit for little millet can dehull upto 20-25 kg for every hour grain per cluster shortly. Milling of millets Millets flour is made through processing innovation. Processing is a procedure of isolating the grain and germ from the endosperm with the goal that the endosperm can be ground in to flour and rawa utilizing various sorts of strainers in a sledge factory. The recovery from grains relies upon the millet variety just as the apparatus utilized. Equipment used for milling millets 1. Flour mill Regular flour plants have pivoting cutting edges (hammer/plate factory) or stones (chakki plant) which network the grain in a crushing chamber and pass it through a screen which isolates the flour from the bigger, ungrounded particles during revolution, the flour is carried through the screen in the plant. 2. Barbender junior equipment used for millet fine semolina The unit expels 100% husk with breaking of grain into equivalent partials (fine rawa). The machine can deliver 500 g of fine semolina in a short time (around five minutes). The recovery of fine semolina is 92 percent. The

“Advance Research in Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences” ISBN: 978-81-948426-5-1 Millets- Health Benefits and Processing Methods 126 accessibility of semolina for the different millet arrangements in the food markets is the other option for expanding millet utilization. The semolina arranged by IIMR looks like rice semolina in appearance and taste. Millet/sorghum semolina can be utilized for breakfast and nibble food arrangements replacing wheat and rice rawa. Composite Flour 1. Sorghum rich multigrain flour The degree of millet fill in for wheat flour relies upon the quality and nature of gluten in the wheat flour; the pressing strategy; the meaning of adequate bread quality; the shading, particle size and state of millet flour. The particle size and state of millet flour frequently increment the coarseness of the prepared items; however processing, and different changes during handling can affect the texture of the flour. 2. Millet rich multigrain flour Multigrain flour is produced using mixed flours of grains (millet, wheat), finger millet and pearl millet (bajra) alongside soy-bean, a protein rich heartbeat. Such food meets the developing wholesome needs of the individuals in the wake of inclinations for current and sound food propensities for mass taking care of and social program. Equipment for making: At present, a little electrical roti making apparatus is accessible in the market for prepared to get ready . Advantages of the roti machine: • Used to make without gluten roti helpfully with higher limit. • No inconvenience in making sorghum/millet based rotis. Figure 3: Different types of /Roti-making machines

“Advance Research in Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences” ISBN: 978-81-948426-5-1 127 Tanvi Bansal and Asha Kawatra Flaking of sorghum / millet grain Flakes are mainstream nibble food and have been broadly delivered for a considerable length of time. Rice flakes are consumed throughout the world. Sorghum is a coarse grain and is hard to pound. However, with the advanvement of techniques, Edge runner (flaking machine) alongside roaster has made it conceivable to create flakes from sorghum. Popping/Puffing of millets Puffing or popping of cereals is an old customary act of cooking grains to be utilized as breakfast cereal or snack, either plain or with certain flavors/salt/sugars. Popping is a sort of starch cookery, where grains are presented to high temperature for brief timeframe. Popping is a procedure wherein pieces are warmed until inward dampness grows and jumps out through the external shell of the part, while, puffing is where abrupt arrival of water fume and development of pre-gelatinized kernel appears. Superheated fume is created inside the grains by prompt warming, which cooks the grain and extends the endosperm while getting away with extraordinary power through the micropores of the grain structure. Popping improves the edibility of starch as it includes gelatinization of starch and reduction of dietary fibres. • Methods of Popping and puffing - Gun Puffing, Sand roasting, HTST Fluidized Bed Puffing and Popping and Microwave Popping and Puffing. • Popped and Puffed Cereal Products - Popcorn, Puffed Rice, Popped Sorghum and other cereals such as ragi, wheat, barley, Amarnath seed, foxtail millet, Buck wheat, etc are also puffed or popped for making nutritious and healthy breakfast cereals. Millet Biscuits The machine comprises of planetary blend, cutting machine and convection stove. In biscuits preparation, to lessen the drudgery and upgrade the quality of biscuits, and cleanliness and hygiene practices must be followed. Millet extruded products Major share of total population experiences qualitative and quantitative deficiency of dietary protein and calories consumption. In every single such case physiological support and development are weakened, and

“Advance Research in Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences” ISBN: 978-81-948426-5-1 Millets- Health Benefits and Processing Methods 128 unhealthiness results. In this setting extrusion is a useful procedure. Extrusion cooking is an HTST cooking process, which could be utilized for preparing of proteinaceous as well as starchy food items. The utilization of extrusion cooking has particular advantages like versatality, high productivity, high item quality, increment in-vitro protein absorbability and creation of new food without effluents. Extruded items require less time while being cooked. These millet based items have more dietary benefit and medical advantages when contrasted with comparative items made from wheat and rice. Equipment used for millet extruded products: (1) Hot extruder (2) Cold extruder- Suitable for vermicelli and pasta Fermented Products Fermented foods like and Idli are well known as routine breakfast food item and even as the night dinners in numerous regions of India. Fermentation improves the taste as well as simultaneously enhances the food esteem in terms of protein, calcium and fibre, B vitamins, in vitro protein digestibility and diminishes the levels of anti-nutrients in food grain. Fermentation of the ground germinated pearl millet grains provides better protein digestibility. Malting and Weaning Foods Generally, the millet malt is used for preparation infant feeding foods as it enriches amylase in the food, adds to calorie density without adding to dietary bulk. Finger millet possesses good malting properties and its malting is popular in places like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Malting helps to enhances the nutrient composition appreciably in terms of fibre, crude fat, vitamins B, C and their availability, minerals, improve the bioavailability of nutrients, sensory attributes of the grains. Millet malt is utilized as a cereal base, weaning foods, supplementary foods and health foods.

“Advance Research in Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences” ISBN: 978-81-948426-5-1 129 Tanvi Bansal and Asha Kawatra Figure 4: Different machines used for Processing millets

Health and Functional Foods Small millets are nutrient-rich and important coarse grains. The term functional foods has been commonly used for foods that advance wellbeing through counteraction of explicit degenerative illnesses like diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, cataract etc. because of the effect of health- promoting and bioactive phyto-chemicals in plant foods. Epidemiological investigations reflect that people consuming millet based diets have less lower rate of suffering from degenerative diseases such as heart diseases, diabetics, hypertension, etc. Millets have acknowledged attention for their prospective role as functional foods due to health promoting properties. Millets are safe for people experiencing gluten allergy and celiac disease. They are non-acid forming and non-allergenic hence easy to digest. Finger millet, foxtail millet, pearl millet and sorghum are the potential sources of antioxidant compounds which can quench the free radicals.

“Advance Research in Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences” ISBN: 978-81-948426-5-1 Millets- Health Benefits and Processing Methods 130 Table 2: Millet based products Products from Millets Millet Product Raw material Processing technique used Breakfast cereals Whole grains Roasting, grinding, milling and extrusion Health drinks (eg. Weaning Whole grains Roasting/Malting foods) and Grinding Biscuits and Cake Dehulled Milling and Baking (Multigrain and grains Therapeutic) Puffed and Expanded Semolina Milling and products Extrusion Energy bars Dehulled Flaking and grains Binding Ready to cook mixtures Whole grains Milling and (Dhokla, Halwa, Nutri-mix, and Semolina Roasting/Steaming etc.) Conclusion Advances in post-harvest processing and value addition technologies have made it possible to process and prepare value added products acceptable to both rural and urban consumers. Despite the fact that consumption of millet as direct food use is waning, market for processed foods such as multigrain flour, vermicelli, flakes, biscuit and pasta is unexpectedly rising in urban areas as there is mounting acceptability of millet if accessible in ready-to- eat form or as convenient foods as health and nutritional foods. Industrial linkages for expansion, marketing and commercialization by brand promotion of these food products will protect stable and gainful market for

“Advance Research in Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences” ISBN: 978-81-948426-5-1 131 Tanvi Bansal and Asha Kawatra millets. Millets and sorghum have massive probability for wider use. Processing and exploration of millets in product development have promising prospects with regard to nutrition, quality and health benefits and can be an alternative to cereals but its full scope and utilization is yet to be established. Efforts can be made to popularize millet products, low cost, high protein and energy rich products among population through on-going nutritional intervention programs, development and consumption of such value added food claiming health benefits could go a long way in improving the nutritional status of the population especially those suffering from protein malnutrition and other deficiencies and diseases. REFERENCES

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“Advance Research in Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences” ISBN: 978-81-948426-5-1