Assessment Of Germination Time of Finger Millet for Value Addition in Functional Foods
Ashwani Kumar, Amarjeet Kaur, Kritika Gupta, Yogesh Gat, Vikas Kumar
Abstract
In the present study, finger millet (Eleusine coracana) grains of variety VL Mandua-315 were soaked overnight and germinated (25 2C) for varying time intervals ranging from 12 to 96 h. Samples were drawn at every 12 h interval, dried at 50 2C, deculmed, powdered and analysed for physicochemical composition, functional properties and mineral content. A significant increase (P 0.05) in sugars, crude fibre, ascorbic acid, antioxidant activity and water solubility index and decrease (P 0.05) in starch, protein and ash was found with increase in germination time. Fat, total phenols and tannins reached their minimal value after 48 h of germination followed by a linear increase. Water absorption index, oil absorption index, foam capacity and foam stability decreased with soaking, followed by a linear increase up to 60 h of germination. Amongst all minerals tested, calcium showed a significant increase with increase in germination time. A clustered heat map was used to depict the effect of germination time on the overall properties of finger millet.