Maximizing the nutritional benefits and extending the
shelf life
of millets is essential due to their ancient significance, rich nutrient
content, and potential health benefits, but challenges such as rapid
rancidity in millet-based products underscore the need for effective
processing techniques to enhance their preservation and global accessibility.
In this comprehensive review, the impact of diverse processes and
treatments such as mechanical processing, fermentation, germination,
soaking, thermal treatments like microwave processing, infrared heating,
radio frequency, nonthermal treatments like ultrasound processing,
cold plasma, gamma irradiation, pulsed light processing, and high-pressure
processing, on the nutritional value and the stability during storage
of various millets has been examined. The review encompasses an exploration
of their underlying principles, advantages, and disadvantages. The
technologies highlighted in this review have demonstrated their effectiveness
in maximizing and extending the shelf life of millet-based products.
While traditional processes bring about alterations in nutritional
and functional properties, prompting the search for alternatives,
novel thermal and nonthermal techniques were identified for microbial
decontamination and enzyme inactivation. Advancements in millet processing
face challenges including nutrient loss, quality changes, resource
intensiveness, consumer perception, environmental impact, standardization
issues, regulatory compliance, and limited research on combined methods.