In-vitro digestibility of protein, starch and in-vitro availability of minerals (iron and zinc) in whole and dehulled nutri-cereal based multigrain extruded snacks

Abstract

The extrudates were prepared from the multigrain flour mixture either whole grain flour (WGF)or dehulled grain flour (DGF) comprising of 15% of sweet potato flour, 30% cereal and pulse flour (Bengal gram+ defatted soya bean flour + rice in equal proportion) and 55% of nutri -cereal flour (Pearl millet+ Foxtail millet + Ragi in equal proportion). The in vitro-digestibility of protein (IVPD) (70.90%), in-vitro availability of Iron (57.85%) and Zinc (38.35%) were higher in DGE than in WGE, while in-vitro digestibility of starch (IVSD) was higher in WGE (36.88). Due to these characteristics, whole grain extrudates can be a potential snack for the health-conscious population suffering from lifestyle diseases and dehulled grain-based extrudates for supplementary nutrition programmes.