AUTHOR=Sheethal H. V. , Baruah Chandrama , Subhash Kalpuri , Ananthan Rajendran , Longvah T. 

TITLE=Insights of Nutritional and Anti-nutritional Retention in Traditionally Processed Millets

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

VOLUME=Volume 5 - 2021

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2021.735356

DOI=10.3389/fsufs.2021.735356

ISSN=2571-581X

ABSTRACT=Millets are nutritionally superior indigenous staple crops packed with high protein, vitamins, and minerals. However, anti-nutrients such as phytic acid, tannins and polyphenols present in the millets tend to reduce the bio-accessibility of minerals (iron and zinc), due to which the millet diets are greatly compromised. Although most of the cereals such as wheat flour, brown rice and barley contain phytic acid to the level far more than the millets it is important to develop the feasible household methods to reduce the level of phytic acid to enhance nutrient absorption. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of traditional processing on nutrient and anti-nutrient retention of three majorly consumed millets namely, sorghum, finger millet, and pearl millet. These millets were traditionally cooked and then fermented overnight with water and curd. Results shows, this type of simple, traditional household level process significantly reduced the phytic acid content by 62.9% in sorghum, 34.1% in finger millet, and 29.35% in pearl millet. There is a considerable decrease in phytic acid: zinc molar ratio by 71.38%, 61.15%, 33.47%, and phytic acid: iron molar ratio by 73.52%, 48.07%, 66.39% in sorghum, finger millet, and pearl millet respectively. Among the macronutrients, protein and ash contents were significantly increased. High retention of water soluble vitamins observed in the processed millets. Overall, the traditionally cooked millet, fermented overnight then added curd enhanced many essential macro and micronutrients, concurrently reduced the phytic acid, thus forms the sustainable simple household method for improving dietary nutrients.