Climate smart, underutilised, healthful future cereal: Protein content, hydration properties, starch digestibility and consumer liking of pearl millet-based Oyster mushroom crackers
Erick N. Uukule, W. Embashu, Nailoke P. Kadhila-Muandingi, Isabella S.E. Ueitele, Komeine Kotokeni Mekondjo Nantanga
Abstract
Pearl millet is an underutilised cereal. This study investigated the use of undervalued pearl millet grain in the manufacturing of value-added low sugar crackers that are protein-enhanced by the incorporation of Oyster mushroom. Equal amounts of pearl millet and wheat bread flour were mixed. This mixture was substituted to have 0% (control), 5, 10 and 15% Oyster mushroom powder. The moisture, protein, physical characteristics, in vitro starch digestibility of the composite flours and crackers were determined. The 15% Oyster mushroom incorporation significantly increased the crackers’ protein (8.8 to 10.4%). The inclusion of 15% Oyster mushroom significantly reduced the in vitro starch digestibility at 20, 60, 120 min from 16% to 13%, 26% to 23 and 37% to 31%, respectively. The 5% oyster mushroom incorporated cracker was the most liked (7.1 score on a 9-point hedonic scale). These easy to manufacture shelf-stable crackers, using low and affordable technology, from shelf-stable, low water activity flours can be used to alleviate protein malnutrition especially in the rural areas of developing nations where there is no electricity and refrigeration facilities.