See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/348962150

Entrepreneurship Opportunities in Nutri-Cereal Processing Sector

Article · February 2021

CITATIONS READS

0 903

5 authors, including:

S. Balasubramanian Subir Chakraborty

Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering
105 PUBLICATIONS 1,183 CITATIONS 60 PUBLICATIONS 695 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Nachiket Kotwaliwale Adinath Kate

Indian Council of Agricultural Research Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering
82 PUBLICATIONS 1,405 CITATIONS 39 PUBLICATIONS 228 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Adinath Kate on 02 February 2021.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Indian Food Industry Mag
Vol 3 No 1, Jan-Feb 2021

Entrepreneurship Opportunities in Nutri-Cereal Processing Sector

S Balasubramanian1, Subir Kumar Chakraborty2, Nachiket Kotwaliwale3,

Adinath Kate2 and Dawn CP Ambrose1
1
Regional Centre, ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Coimbatore-641 007
2
Agro Produce Processing Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering,
Bhopal – 462038
3
Director, ICAR-Central Institute of Postharvest Engineering and Technology, Ludhiana - 141004
E-mail: [email protected]
Received: 24th August 2020 | Accepted: 23rd September 2020

Abstract for their cultivation. Millet, contrary to rice and

wheat, can grow almost anywhere. Government
Nutri-Cereals or millets can bring about
of India has named millets as “Nutri-Cereals”
a dietary advantage to its consumers and help
in 2018.The Nutri-Cereals once occupied a
them in combating many lifestyle diseases.
place of pride in the Indian cuisine, with time,
There are many types of millets which have
lost their sheen to the bludgeoning popularity
been traditionally quite popular in various
of crops like wheat and rice. Millets have been
parts of India and the world. These millets
continually neglected and have been relegated
have different types of advantages yet varied
to be grown by the farmers mostly in the tribal
challenges concerning their post-harvest
pockets of India. Every state of peninsular
handling and processing. Various technologies
India has a certain group of millets being
along with suitable process machines have
still cultivated by the fringe farmers. Millets
made it possible to overcome major challenges
as whole-grain makes available the dietary
related to storage life, off-flavours, rancidity,
fibre, minerals, phenolics and vitamins to the
toxicity, etc. These technologies have also made
consumer. Processing methods like soaking,
it possible to prepare a large variety of products
malting, decortications and cooking affects
at an industrial scale with higher efficiencies,
the anti-oxidant and anti-nutritional content
hence giving the consumer a broad choice of
present in the grain. In general, the millets
nutritious yet savoury food products. Many such
comprise 7-12% protein, 2-5% fat, 65-75%
products could find a place in nutrition-related
carbohydrates and 15-20% dietary fibre. Most
programmes for women and child development
millets contain fewer cross-linked prolamins,
and also serve as functional foods. Processing
perhaps this is a contributing factor to higher
of millets into various ready-to-cook or ready-
digestibility of the millet proteins. The millet
to-eat products presents a great opportunity for
cooking process and preparation are also
developing entrepreneurship of different scales.
similar to major staple food grains. They
have many health benefits associated with
Introduction
whole grain cereals and dietary fibre, such
TARs

Wheat and rice are the dominant cereals as lower plasma cholesterol (Davidssonet al.,
at the global level. Cultivation of wheat and 1991) and reduced glycaemic index (Jenkins
rice require a specific kind of environmental et al., 2002). Time has now placed millets
condition, therefore there are different regions in a position of precedence because of its
29
 Indian Food Industry Mag
Vol 3 No 1, Jan-Feb 2021

nutritional composition and climate-friendly average productivity of 1.16 t/h (Anonymous,

agronomy. Small millets (finger, foxtail, 2016).
kodo, little, barnyard and proso) are crops of A collection of activities that results in
antiquity having a long history of cultivation enhanced value of an agricultural commodity,
of more than 5000 years and are known for which includes production, processing, storage
their suitability to drylands, hill and tribal and marketing fall under the gambit of the
agriculture. They require little or no irrigation, value chain. Millets especially the minor ones
mature early, are well suited for cultivation cannot be claimed as cultivated; they just
under resource-scarce conditions and are a grow. Input to growing millets still wrests to
good source of food, feed and fodder. broadcasting seeds and then harvesting the
Years of neglect has resulted in millets as crop after 100 to 120 days. Therefore, any
not being adequately researched for its potential iota of work done on the harvested crops
of value addition and its value chain is limited directly results in the enhancement of its
to harvesting, threshing, cleaning, dehulling value. All the unit operations of processing
and pearling, for millet rice as the end product. results in the generation of commodities that
Many millet grains are extremely small, have hold value and bear an extreme scope for
a very thin bran layer with the germ lurking addition of value. The basic unit operations
just beneath it. Dehulling results in exposing and machinery used for millet processing
this germ to the air leading to the storability have been discussed in the subsequent para
challenges for the grain and the flour. followed by a complete enumeration of the
During the past decade, the Indian possibilities of the value-added products from
agriculture and food industry have re-focused the millets. Challenge posed by millets can be
their approaches in reviving this long-neglected classed as three-pronged, (I) evaluation of the
traditional crop of India by intervening in elements of toxicity associated with the millets,
practices of production technology through (II) enhance the storability of the pearled grains
value addition operations customized for or millet flours,and (III) generation of basic
millets. Thus, these forgotten Nutri-Cereals quality standards for millets grains as well as
are slowly being accepted in the processed the finished products. Absence of standards
food industry. One can find these Nutri-Cereals for monitoring quality of the grains has made
as raw, semi-processed and finished product the manufacture of quality consistent value-
form in the shelves of the superstores and added products an uphill task. These are three
malls. At this juncture, it is ensuring that there key areas that demand quick action from the
lies an adequate quantum of scope for mass respective bodies for further bolstering the
entrepreneurship opportunities in processing cause of popularization of millets.
and value addition of millets.
Threshing
Production and market value chain Threshing is the first operation after
In India, millets were a part of culture harvesting of the crops, generally carried out
since time immemorial. Millets are grown from at field itself. The non-edible portion of the
sea level to mid-hills, right from Tamil Nadu plant that holds grains are removed during this
in the South to Uttarakhand in the North, and operation; grains are made available for further
TARs

Gujarat in the West to Arunachal Pradesh in unit operations. Various small capacity, millet
the Northeast. The total area under these crops specific threshers have been developed by NARS
during the year 2015-16 was 8.84 million ha and are used by farmers all across India. In
with a production of 10.28 million tons at an some millets shelling to some extent takes place
30
 Indian Food Industry Mag
Vol 3 No 1, Jan-Feb 2021

Table1. Different types of millets and their traits

Type of Millet/ Indian Major growing states
Traits of millet
vernacular name(s) in India
Sorghum It is a very popular gluten-free grain. The Telangana, Andhra
(Sorghum bicolor)/Jowar, calcium content is closely similar to that in Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Jwari, Jondhla, Jola, Jonna, wheat and rice. It is packed with iron, protein, Karnataka, Madhya
Cholam, Juara, Rotla fibre and micronutrients. Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
Pearl millet It has iron content 8 times higher than rice. It Rajasthan,
(Pennisetumglaucum)/ is also rich in protein, fibre, and other minerals Maharashtra, Haryana,
Bajra, Bajri, Sajja, Sajje, such as calcium and magnesium. Since it has Uttar Pradesh and
Cumbu,Kambam, Bajro, Sajje, good fibre content, it helps ease in problems Gujarat
sajjalu with digestion. Induces lactation and helps in
efficient milk secretion.
Foxtail millet It is rich in complex carbohydrates which don’t Karnataka,
(Setariaitalica)/ Syamadhan, increase the blood sugar levels immediately but Uttarakhand, Tamil
Ralkang, Kangni, slowly release glucose into the bloodstream. It Nadu, Maharashtra,
Priyanguthene, Shol, Thina, is rich in dietary fibre and minerals like iron and Andhra Pradesh
Rala, Kangni, Thenai, Korralu, copper. It also helps to reduce the levels of bad
Moha,Kakankora, Chinka cholesterol and keeps the immune system strong
as well.
Finger millet One of the most popular millets considered as Karnataka,
(Eleusinecoracana)/ Madua, a good replacement for rice and wheat. It is Uttarakhand,
Bhav, Madua, Ragi, Moothari, also a rich source of calcium and other essential Arunachal Pradesh,
Nachni, Mandia, Kezhvaragu, minerals. It is a storehouse of protein and Nagaland, Madhya
Ragulu, Finger millet, known to show a positive effect on the blood Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,
Korakan, Rajika glucose level. Tamil Nadu
Barnyard millet It has a considerable amount of fibre that Madhya Pradesh,
(Echinochloafrumantacea)/ helps maintain satiety. This millet is a rich Tamil Nadu,
Shamula, Sama, Shama, source of bone-building minerals like calcium Karnataka,
Samai, Shamul, Kudiraivali, and phosphorus. Its good antioxidant profile Chhattisgarh,
Bontachamalu,Sawank, helps in improving the complications of non- Jharkhand
Shyama communicable diseases and degenerative
disorders like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases,
etc.
Kodo millet This is millet closely resembles rice. Madhya Pradesh,
(Paspalumscrobiculatum)/ It is easy to digest and is rich in Chhattisgarh, Tamil
Kodoadhan,Kodra, Haraka, phytochemicals,antioxidants,calcium, Nadu, Maharashtra,
Varagu, Harik, Kodus, Vargu, magnesium, and iron, thus it helps prevent Uttar Pradesh
Arikalu, Pakodi, Manakodra major lifestyle diseases. It is claimed to reduce
knee and joint pain and helps regularise the
menstrual cycle in women.
Little Millet It is a rich source of B-vitamins, minerals like Madhya Pradesh,
(Panicummiliare)/ Kangni, calcium, iron, zinc, potassium among others. Chhattisgarh, Andhra
TARs

Gadro, Kutki, Samai, Little millet contains around 5.2 per cent of fat Pradesh, Karnataka,
Ganuhaar, Chama, Sava, with a good content of unsaturated fat. Its high Arunachal Pradesh,
Suan, Samai, Goudli, fibre content is yet another advantage making it Maharashtra,
Gondola an ideal replacement for rice in some dishes. Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu

31
 Indian Food Industry Mag
Vol 3 No 1, Jan-Feb 2021

Type of Millet/ Indian Major growing states

Traits of millet
vernacular name(s) in India
Proso Millet It is rich in protein and has complex Maharashtra, Bihar,
(Panicummiliaceum)/ carbohydrate. This millet has a low glycaemic Odisha, Rajasthan,
Vari,Barri, Chena, Baragu, index. It has a high content of antioxidants Tamil Nadu
Pingu, Panivaragu, Vari and minerals like magnesium, potassium, and
China, Panivaragu, Varagalu, phosphorus. This helps in preventing conditions
French millet like osteoporosis.
Other few small-seeded Nutri-Cereals
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), Chia (Salvia hispanica), brown top (BrachiariaramosaL.),teff (Eragrostistef)

during threshing. Generally, a tightly bound germination of seeds, to retain the maximum
husk layer gets removed during shelling till quality of the grain and help it to reach a
the pericarp is exposed. Threshing is followed level of safe storage moisture, which does
by winnowing which is an effective method not allow the growth of bacteria and fungi.
of removal of lightweight feathery dust field It is reported that drying considerably retards
materials, immature and infested broken grains. the development of mites and insects in the
stored grains.
Drying
Sun drying of the millets is carried out
It is a critical unit operation which mostly in open yards of fields or mills. The drying
needs to opted judiciously. Drying prevents time required is quite high and an increased
TARs

Fig. 1. Schematic representation of the complete value chain of millets grown in India.

32
 Indian Food Industry Mag
Vol 3 No 1, Jan-Feb 2021

chance of cross-contamination persist in sun market value. Parboiling is a hydrothermal

drying. The mechanical drying system is used treatment that counters this negative effect
in processing units or mills for fast drying with of dehulling in a big way. During parboiling,
continuous operation. Continuous flow hot-air pre-gelatinized starch seals the hairline cracks,
dryers like LSU-dryer as well as deep bed batch makes a homogeneous mass of gelatinized
type of dryers are recommended for the drying starch, and thus prevent the milling losses. This
of millets. The drying of millet in mechanical parboiled millet kernel exhibits a little longer
dryers is carried at around 55-60°C at an shelf life with good cooking characteristics.
appropriate airflow rate with due consideration The dehulling process is also referred
for aerodynamic properties of the grains. to as dehusking/decortication/pearling.
Traditionally, this drudgery prone operation
Cleaning was performed by rural women, i.e. manual
Cleaning is an effective method pounding using pestle and mortar, yielding 2
of reducing food wastage, improving the kg of the dehulled kernel in 6 hours. Dehulling
economics of further processing and providing improves the biological availability of nutrients
the consumer with safe food. Cleaning of the and reduction in the anti-nutritional constituents
millets also saves the processing machines of the grain. Now, various types and capacity
from incidents of damages due to stones, mud of motorized millet dehullers are available
balls, field straws etc. and maintain the cost- based on the working principle, mechanism,
effectiveness of the operating machines. The construction etc.
use of winnowers, pre-cleaners, destoners
(i) Abrasive type: These machines are known
and cleaner-separators especially designed for
as Tangential Abrasive Dehulling Devices
millet grains with appropriate attachments are
(TADD).In this process, abrasion of grain
recommended for the cleaning and grading
hull takes place between (a) abrasive roller
of the millets. Cleaning of the grains is
stone surface and grain surface, (b) grain to
accomplished by equipment commonly known
grain surface and (c) grain surface to outer
as cleaner-separators.
canvas screen surface. It is available in
This equipment mainly consists of a batch and continuous type model. These
reception hopper, a blower or aspirator and set machines are generally used in large
of vibrating sieves. The lighter materials and scale(>1 TPH) industrial processes; they
impurities get separated through air blowing or are heavy, requires huge electric power;
aspiration called scalping. After the scalping, producing a lot of noise and dust.
grain lot is classified as per the size through
(ii) Rubber roll sheller: It is a modified rice
an assembly of vibrating sieves. As the sieves
rubber roll sheller for dehulling of millets.
are replaceable, the same machine could be
But with the different morphological features
used for cleaning of multiple types of millets.
of the millet grains, this sheller could yield
The efficiency of the operation depends on
limited success. This machine consists of an
the moisture content of grains and feed rate
adjustable pair of rubber rollers, rotating in
to the machines.
opposite directions with differential speed.
While the grain passes through the rollers,
Dehulling
there exists a gentle holding and shearing
TARs

Dehulling is an operation where the at the roller gaps. Partial dehulling occurs
grain is subjected to a lot of physical stress, and these small grains are imbibed in the
this at times leads to rupture along the planes rollers surface i.e. within the resilience
of failure resulting in broken grains with less tolerance limit of rubber. This went on to
33
 Indian Food Industry Mag
Vol 3 No 1, Jan-Feb 2021

be the reason of non-acceptability of this some specific portion of the spectrum. Colour
huller for millet dehulling. sorting ensures the premium quality grades of
(iii) CIAE-Millet mill: It is a gender-neutral millet products.
and eco-friendly compact millet mill.
It comprises a pair of lightweight
Storage and packaging
(carborundum) abrasive stone disks being Nutri-Cereal grains with the reduced
operated by 1 hp single-phase motor. It safer level of moisture content can be stored
works on the principle of gentle shearing for a longperiod. However, the processed
and friction. The capacity of the machine Nutri-Cereals (in any form) have less shelf
is 100 kg/h, even a batch as small as 100 g life. Hence, airtight packing and other suitable
millet grain can be dehulled. The dehulling techniques are of utmost importance for the
zone is attached with cyclone separator, long usage life of the product. The packaging
thus it is an environmentally friendly and storage requirement varies with the
machine. The dehulling and separation different forms of Nutri-Cereal products.
of husk takes places, simultaneously in Traditionally millets are stored in
the same machine. The dehulled kernel indigenous systems like kothis, baskets, bins etc.
is collected gravimetrically and husk is especially constructed using locally available
collected separately by suction and cyclone materials like wooden strips, planks, ropes,
separator arrangement. Being compact and cow dung etc. till date, this is being practised
comparatively lightweight, this machine in tribal and hill areas. Otherwise, the jute bags
can be adopted and operated in the millet are recommended for storage of cleaned millet
producing catchment area, hilly region grains in a cool and dry place. The bags must
and at cottage industrial level. be disinfected before use and during refilling
(iv) Centrifugal dehulling: The millet grains are of already used bags. Particular thickness and
subjected to centrifugal hit (high speed, tailored made LDPF or HDPE polyethene film
2880-3500 rpm) with the circumferential bags are used based on the type of the value-
high resilience rubber pad in an encased added product to be stored. A film with very
drum. This machine operates with a 7.5 low oxygen permeability and water vapour
HP motor. In the market, both single stage permeability is mostly recommended for the
or double stage centrifugal dehullers are packaging of dehulled millets and millets flour.
available. Complete removal of entrapped air during the
filling must be ensured. The bag size canvary
Millet grain sorting from 100 g to 100 kg as per the consumer
The specific gravity separation is required requirement.
immediately after the dehulling operation. This
machine separates the dehulled millet kernel
Postharvest processing and value addition
from raw millet grains, foreign material with Historically, these millet seeds are
the same size but different density and broken kept in temple towers called ‘Kalasam’.In
of the same density but different size and same general, millet grains are much smaller with
size but of different densities. Thus, it ensures a tough husk, having different (grain/kernel)
the stone-free good quality graded Nutri-Cereals colours; they have a longer storage life, if not
TARs

and broken free dehulled kernel (rice). In large- dehusked. Ironically, adding value to the grains
scale millet processing units, colour sorters are by dehulling (removal of the husk) process
used. Colour sorting mainly uses the difference results in a reduced storability of kernel/flour
between the reflective properties of grains over to not more than 15-30 days. Considering its
34
 Indian Food Industry Mag
Vol 3 No 1, Jan-Feb 2021

nutritional profile, less storability of its primarily village level Millet Processing Centres (MPC)
processed products, it becomes very important in the millet growing tribal catchment areas (i)
to have pertinent post-harvest processing Harshdiwari Tribal Village, Patalkot, Madhya
and management practices in place. Most of Pradesh, and (ii) Aasanur Tribal Village,
the morphological and structural features of Western Ghats, Satyamangalam, Tamil Nadu
Nutri-Cereals demands a specifically designed (Fig. 2). This Public-Private Partnership (PPP)
harvesting and post-harvest equipment and and Farmers Producers Organization (FPO)
management protocols to exploit the full concept of establishing this power-operated
commercial potential of these grains. setup promoted the household consumption
There are a lot of technologies that have and built a feasible grain-based value chain with
been developed to make millet popular amongst the nearby villages of the district, extending it
the masses in ready-to-cook / ready-to-serve a market spectrum. The basic model MPC
product market. These products are nutritious comprises (i) Cleaner-grader-destoner (ii) CIAE-
and are of the genre commonly consumed Millet Mill (iii) Grain Polisher (iv) Pulveriser
in Indian households. Therefore, these foods (v) Flour Sifter (vi) Packaging gadgets. This
find ready acceptance amongst the regular concept-based working model (>3 years) has
consumers of a similar traditional product. remarkably classically addressed the livelihood
promotion activities; keeping these tribal
Primary processed products farmers/villagers (i) meaningfully occupied (ii)
Primary processing assumes importance in a sustainable manner (iii) with dignity and
as it forms the basis for making quality (iv) goes beyond income generation. Also,
secondary and tertiary products out of any the availability of this Centre at their habitats,
agricultural commodity. Now-a-days, healthy enable them to check-in the MPC and go
whole-grain food consumption has increased back with millet products of their own choice
with a large section of the global population. of the end product (rice, Rawa, flour). Also,
This scenario demands a wider range of raw this model eliminates the transportation cost
and semi-processed Nutri-Cereals products viz., of grains to longer distances for milling or
milled millet rice (raw/parboiled), semolina prevents them from selling their harvested
(raw and roasted Rava/suji) and flour (raw/ grain to the middle man at a very lower
roasted/fortified), similar to wheat and rice price. It is used extensively both by the Tribal
products. The presence of tannins causes the Producer Company (an FPO) as well as tribal
millet flours to have a tangy after-taste and farmers for their household consumption.
storage of this flour is limited to a few days With these initiatives, the producer company
because of the oxidation of the peripheral has created their brand of product range and
oil layer just beneath the hull. Inclusion of are available in larger market domain. Based
fermentation as a grain pre-treatment operation on this ‘Success Story’ through initiation and
can lessen the tannins, increase vitamin B, establishment of MPC concept, incubation and
better the taste, and improve the shelf life entrepreneurship development, today, many
(Antony and Chandra, 1998). Incorporation millet-based mass start-ups across the country
of millets into popular food products has now are coming up at a rapid pace.
become common and rampant. Millets are
an excellent source of dietary fibres and can
Secondary and tertiary processed products
TARs

be used in encapsulated forms for medicinal Variety of RTE/RTS convenient foods

uses as well. The ICAR-Central Institute of viz., whole-grain food (cooked/popped/roasted/
Agricultural Engineering has introduced an flaked), formulated foods (convenience / health-
innovative integrated woman and eco-friendly mixes / malted), snack foods (extruded/shaped)
35
 Indian Food Industry Mag
Vol 3 No 1, Jan-Feb 2021

and functional foods etc. have been successfully Snack foods

attempted to be made by the millets. Snacks are one of the most suitable
Whole-grain foods ways to ingest nutritious food products to
living beings. Extruded snacks are ready-to-
Because of harnessing the available
eat products prepared using twin-screw hot
nutrients in the food, now-a-days the healthy
extruder which combines heating with the
whole grain food concept is getting a lot of
act of extrusion to create a shaped cooked
attention. For example, popped millets, flaked
product through a die. Extruded snacks can
millets and millet muesli are becoming popular.
be prepared from millets used in moderation
Research work has revived and scaled up the
with other key ingredients. Flaking machines
production process of a healthy whole grain
can also be used to make extruded ready-to-
food i.e. ‘Achikae’. This is a traditional tribal
eat flakes from millets. Extruded round shaped
food of Nilgiris (Tamil Nadu Western ghats). It
balls are flattened in roller flaking machine
prepared by using hydrothermally treated roasted
to get such products. These snacks can be
little millet grains followed by a meticulous
coated with desired spices to create variations
dehulling process. It is a highly nutritious food
in the taste and flavour. The cold extrusion
and is also commercially available.
process can also be adapted to make ready-
Millets Flour to-cook products from millets. Semolina of
almost all the minor (finger, foxtail, pearl)
Flour is used as the main ingredient for
millets and refined wheat can be blended to
various recipes. This flour also forms a part of
produce vermicelli or noodles. There is a good
the millets based “instant mixes”. Millet grains
market potential for such noodles as they are
are processed by dry milling. The dry milling
rich in dietary fibres and minerals. Another
process starts with the cleaning of grains. The
very successful product of cold extrusion if
cleaned grain is milled by the hammer mills to
millet pasta. This product uses raw ingredients
separate the endosperm, germ and bran from
as is used for millet noodles. This is very
each other to get fine flour. Presence of tannins
useful because of its low cost and continuous
causes this flour to have a tangy after taste and
processing capability has been accepted as one
storage of this flour is limited to a few days.
of the most useful technologies during recent
Manufacture of millet flour after a designed
years in the field of food processing.
fermentation process for the grains results in a
product with fewer tannins, higher vitamin B, Puffing is a common food processing
better taste, and shelf life. The product can be technique which is a resultant of explosive
also be used as a gluten-free cereals flour. This puffing or gun puffing. Sorghum puffs are
sorghum and pearl millet flour can be stored product formed after consistent expansion
in 100-micron LDPE packets for about six and keeping forthright the grain identity in terms
three weeks, respectively. Incorporation of of shape and size. The puff gun machine is
millets in traditional cereal-based food products loaded with dehulled sorghum grain onto a
is achieved by using “instant mixes”, which rotating barrel and the mixture is roasted and
are nothing but a mixture of raw ingredients fired resulting in a puffed sorghum product.
ready to form a batter and can be made into
roti, upma, idli, dosa, kheer/payasam, laddoo, Baked products
TARs

etc. This approach has elevated millets as an Millets have found as a minor ingredient
ingredient of convenience foods which can or major ingredient or exclusive ingredient in
be readily reconstituted to accomplish any almost all the baked products that are consumed
traditional foods. on daily basis, be it cookies, bread, cakes, buns,
36
 Indian Food Industry Mag
Vol 3 No 1, Jan-Feb 2021

pizza bases, to name a few. Consumers prefer processing shelf life they have been relegated
healthy products to conventional foods, hence to less importance in human diet but now are
there is a preference for millet-based bakery again gaining popularity owing to nutritional
foods. Baking also allows biofortification of advantages and availability of appropriate
the baked products with minerals by using, processing technology. Whole grain, flours,
e.g. gingelly seeds for zinc, garden cress for fermented, baked, are some of the popular
iron, etc. forms in which millets are consumed, both
in individual or fortified forms. Leading
Beverages and weaning foods
institutes of India like ICAR – Indian Institute
Millet based beverages and weaning of Millet Research, Hyderabad, Central
foods have also been developed with milk, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal,
malted cereals, soy milk, etc. as the base Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering
ingredient. Non-dairy plant-based lactose-free and Technology, Ludhiana, State Agricultural
yoghurt with sorghum and soya milk is an Universities associated with AICRP on PHET,
acceptable product. Sprouted finger-millet with PJ University of Agricultural Sciences and
other ingredients as, - green gram, soybean, Technology, Hyderabad, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysore,
coconut, milk powder has been used to make Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology,
flavoured beverages. Millets impart minerals Thanjavur, GBP University of Agricultural
and starch while sprouted legumes improved Technology, Pantnagar, ICAR-VPKAS, Almora,
solubility and extractability of nutrients while etc. are some of the leading institutions of
increasing the levels of antioxidants and India who have developed technologies for
flavonoids. There is also a specially designed post-harvest handling and processing of Nutri-
“porridge mix” to combat nutritional deficiency Cereals. In the local as well as international
among children. The product is crafted from markets, there exists a good potential for a
premium quality natural ingredients like variety of products based on or fortified with
cereals, sorghum/finger-millet, pulses, oilseeds, millets. It has been seen that a millet processing
dairy ingredients, protein isolates, and fruit. plant working at a capacity of 0.8 tons per day
Rich in protein, minerals, and vitamins, this and processing only millet rice and/or flour
product is free from artificial colours, flavours requires an investment of Rs. 5 Lakh on plant
or preservatives. and machinery and can generate a net profit of
around Rs. 13 Lakhs. Also, there isa sufficient
Conclusion number of technology providers and suppliers
Nutri-Cereals are a staple food for for the required plant machinery. Hence, the
many communities in India and abroad, establishment of enterprises for processing
due to low productivity and shorter post- of millets could be a profitable venture for TARs

Fig. 2. Millet Processing Centre established at Aasanur, Erode Dt.,

Tamil Nadu and Village Harshdiwari, Chhindwara Dt., MP
37
 Indian Food Industry Mag
Vol 3 No 1, Jan-Feb 2021

entrepreneurs and at the same time beneficial Chethan, S., Malleshi, N. G. (2007). Finger
to consumers. millet polyphenols: characterization and
their nutraceutical potential. American
Further reading Journal of Food Technology, 2(7), 582-592.
Ahmed SG (2001) Safe food grains to Fight Davidsson, L., Cederblad, A., Lönnerdal,
Hunger, Intensive Agricultural, September- B. O., Sandström, B. (1991). The effect
October pp. 34-37 of individual dietary components on
Ambrose D C P; Annamalai S J K; Naik R; manganese absorption in humans. The
Anurag Kumar; Dubey A K; Chakraborty American journal of clinical nutrition, 54(6),
S K. (2017). Performance studies on millet 1065-1070.
processing machinery for tribal livelihood Dayakar Rao B, Sangappa, Vishala A.D, Arlene
promotion. J App NaturSci, 9 (3): 1796 Christina G.D and Tonapi V.A. (2016).
-1800. Technologies of Millet Value Added
Antony, U., Sripriya, G., Chandra, T. Products. Centre of Excellence on Sorghum,
S. (1996). Effect of fermentation on ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research.
the primary nutrients in finger millet Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, India. pp 48.
(Eleusinecoracana). Journal of Agricultural ISBN: ISBN81-89335-61-8.
and Food Chemistry, 44(9), 2616-2618. Malleshi, N. G. (1989). Processing of small
Asharani, V. T., Jayadeep, A., Malleshi, millets for food and industrial uses. Small
N. G. (2010). Natural antioxidants in millets in global agriculture, 325-339.
edible flours of selected small Sahay, K. M., Singh, K. K. (1996). Unit
millets. International Journal of Food operations of agricultural processing. Vikas
Properties, 13(1), 41-50. Publishing House Pvt. Ltd.
Balasubramanian S and Patil RT. (2011). Modern Sarita, E. S., Singh, E. (2016). Potential of
processing technologies for sorghum millets: nutrients composition and health
products. Processed Food Industry, 14(3): benefits. Journal of Scientific and Innovative
13-18. Research, 5(2), 46-50.
Balasubramanian, S., Viswanathan, R., & Sharma, N., Niranjan, K. (2018). Foxtail millet:
Sharma, R. (2007). Post-harvest processing Properties, processing, health benefits, and
of millets: An appraisal. Agricultural uses. Food reviews international, 34(4),
Engineering Today, 31(2), 18-23. 329-363.
Chakraborty S K; Gupta S; Kotwaliwale N. Shobana, S., Krishnaswamy, K., Sudha,
(2016). Quality characteristics of gluten- V., Malleshi, N. G., Anjana, R. M.,
free bread from barnyard millet - soy flour Palaniappan, L., Mohan, V. (2013). Finger
blends. J Food SciTechnol, 53(12): 4308 millet (Ragi, Eleusinecoracana L.): a review
– 4315. of its nutritional properties, processing, and
Chakraborty, S. K., Raza, R. R., Ambrose, D. plausible health benefits. In Advances in
C., Kotwaliwale, N., Azad, S. R., Dubey, A. food and nutrition research (Vol. 69, pp.
K. (2018). Processing and Value Addition 1-39). Academic Press.
TARs

of Millets in Tribal Production Catchment-A MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS

Success Story. Agricultural Engineering WELFARE | GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.
Today, 42(3), 56-62. 2018. http://www.nutricereals.dac.gov.in/

38

View publication stats