Nutritional Properties, Nutraceutical Potential of Different Millets, and Their Value-Added Food Products

Abstract

Millets are one of the oldest food grains known to mankind. They are considered underutilized crops and can sustain in harsh environments with limited water resources where other crops grow or yield poorly. Millets are very adaptable: they thrive in dry regions, on clay soils, in wet lowlands, or alluvial lands. Their root systems are powerful, able to descend very quickly to a great depth of soil to extract water and minerals, and thus have high adaptability to climate change, especially drought. Millets have a good nutritional profile along with good nutraceutical potential and thus can be considered a great crop for combating food nutritional security globally.

Microbiological Safety and Nutritional Adequacy of Composite Porridge Flour Used in a Selected School-Feeding Program in Kamuli District, Uganda

“…The high carbohydrate content (81.0% ± 0.7) of the composite flour (Table II) was due to the high inclusion of carbohydrate-rich ingredients in the formulation, that is, 44% maize, 26% millet, 18% amaranth grains and 12% sugar. Maize, millet and amaranth grains contain about 73% [38], 65%-75% [39] and 65% [40] carbohydrates, respectively. Similarly, a high carbohydrate content (88.8%) was reported for cowpea-maize composite flour [41].…”

“…The low crude protein content (8.2% ± 0.1) of the composite flour (Table II) was due to the low protein content of the ingredients in the formulation that is; 18% amaranth grain, 44% maize and 26% millet with approximately 14% [40], 9% [38] and 7%-12% [39] protein, respectively. The protein content of the composite flour in this study was lower than what Gemede [43] reported for flour blends of maize, peas and anchote, which were 15%-21%.…”