THE EFFECT OF PROCESSING ON THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF FINGER MILLET (ELEUSINE CORACANA) SEED
abstract
Analysis was done on how processing affected the finger millet seed’s near composition, antinutrient levels, and mineral content. Four different groups of weaner rabbits received diets containing processed finger millet seed (71.4g per 100g feed) for 56 days. Animals fed diets containing casein (a common protein) were used as the positive control group while animals fed diets containing unprocessed finger millet seed were used as the negative control group. When compared to their values from the unprocessed finger millet seed, the effects of processing methods like soaking, boiling, fermenting, and roasting on the finger millet seeds significantly (p0.05) reduced the anti-nutrient substances like tannins, saponins, phytate, and oxalate. Protein quality measurements in animals fed a diet that included processed finger millet seeds, such as True Roasted finger millet seed had the highest increases in digestibility (TD), biological value (BV), and net protein utilization (NPU), followed by boiled finger millet seed (95.570.93, 52.880.96, and 50.130.97), fermented finger millet seed (95.180.28, 52.521.81, and 49.971.67), and soaked finger millet seed (94.520.55, 50.630.96, and 47 The results showed that fermentation is the best processing method for reducing the anti-nutrient contents while roasting treatment is the best for better utilizing the protein content of finger millet seed.
1.1 INTRODUCTION
The class of minor cereals includes finger millet (Eleusine coracana), which is typically grown in tropical climates. Africa and India are the main consumption regions. It is a significant cereal because of the grain’s excellent ability to store food and its high nutritional value, which is on par with that of wheat and higher than rice (Van Wyk and Gericke, 2000). Micronutrients like calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, and potassium are also abundant in it.
These micronutrients are less bioaccessible in grains because they contain anti-nutrients like tannins and phytates (Harris and Burns 1978). When compared to other millets, finger millet was found to have a high tannin content, ranging from 0.04 to 3.47 percent (Ramachandra et al., 1977). (cataechin equivalent).
low availability of iron (represented by Due to their high tannin content, finger millets have low ionizable iron, which negatively impacts the grain’s nutritional value (Udayasekhara Rao and Deosthale, 1988). Tannins reduced the apparent rate of protein and energy digestion (Jansman et al., 1993). Numerous iron-containing enzymes and proteins, such as the cytochrome system, catalase, myoglobin, and haemoglobin, readily and irreversibly bind to cyanide (Ahmed et al., 1996; Uvere, et al., 2000). There have been reports of phytates interfering with the absorption of minerals, particularly calcium and zinc (Doherty et al., 1982). According to Oke (1969), oxalates interfere with the metabolism of calcium and magnesium and interact with proteins to form complexes that inhibit peptic digestion (Oboh, 1986). The cardiovascular, nervous, and digestive systems are all affected by saponins (Gestener, et al., 1966). Phytate, a naturally occurring phosphorus compound that significantly affects the functional and nutritional qualities of foods, is another anti-nutritional factor that affects the availability of some nutrients. In mature seeds, it serves as the main phosphorus reserve. Strongly capable of binding, phytate easily forms complexes with proteins and multivalent cations.