Formulation of high fiber multigrain composite flour and its storage quality

Abstract

Millets are a group of small seeded species of cereal crops, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. Millets are comparable to major cereals with respect to their nutritional features and also are very good sources of carbohydrates, micronutrients and phytochemicals with nutraceutical properties. Study was carried out to formulate high fiber composite flour. The blends were prepared by mixing wheat with locally grown foxtail millet, little millet and finger millet with fenugreek (1 g) and roasted soy bean (10 g) at various levels to provide at least 12- 15 g of fibre. Nutrients provided by various combinations were computed from nutritive value tables. The combinations with high dietary fibre were further used for organoleptic evaluation. The composition of standardized millet composite flour is composed of wheat (40 g), total millets (50 g) which includes equal quantity of (12.5 g) each of foxtail millet and finger millet, little millet (25g), soybean (10 g) and fenugreek (1 g). The computed nutrient value for millet composite flour showed that the total dietary fibre was (22.06 g/100 g), energy (353 Kcal/100 g), protein (13.78 m g/100 g), calcium (95.92 m g/100 g), phosphorous (341.32 m g/100 g) and iron (6.21 mg/100 g) respectively. Millet composite flour was rich in macro and micro nutrients and also contains high dietary fibre, which helps in maintaining good health.