Effect of the germination period on functional properties of finger millet flour and sensorial quality of porridge

Abstract

Finger millet is a stable and nutritious cereal crop, mostly grown in the semiarid tropics of the world. Processing is important for improving the nutritional value of finger millets. The aim of the research was to evaluate the effect of the germination period on the functional properties of flours and the sensorial quality of finger millet porridge. Four finger millet varieties were collected, cleaned, and soaked for 24 h, then germinated at room temperature (20–25°C) for 24, 48, and 72 h. The germinated samples were oven-dried at 60°C for 6 h and milled into flour at the size of 1 mm using a cyclomiller. Unsoaked and ungerminated finger millet grains are also milled into flour and used as control. Porridge was prepared with a flour-to-water ratio of 1:12 (weight/volume), and sensory analysis was done by semitrained panelists. Germination enhanced the water absorption capacity, solubility, and oil absorption capacity of flour samples significantly (p