Development and Evaluation of Pearl Millet Based Novel Health Drink

Malnutrition in general and nutritional anaemia in particular is a public health problem in India. The remedies for which lies with the people if they are educated to utilize the locally available nutrient rich food sources. In this background, an effort was made to develop a novel food product from bajra, an iron rich health drink as a supplementary food to combat malnutrition. Bajra or pearl millet is extensively grown in Raichur district, which is a rich source of iron, Ca, Zn and high level of fat. But its uses are limited. Novel health drink was prepared using sprouted and dried pearl millet flour, sprouted and dried finger millet powder, malted soya flour, sugar powder and milk powder, and popped and milled amaranth seed powder in different combinations. The pearl millet flour was fortified with other ingredients used in different combinations i.e., 50, 60,70 and 80% respectively along with other ingredients and 100% pearl millet flour was used as control. The effect of germination on nutritional composition in terms of proximate was assessed and sensory evaluation was done for all the fortified samples using 9 point hedonic scale. Sensory evaluation of fortified samples showed that 50 per cent bajra concentration sample was the most accepted sample with respect to all the qualities followed by 60%. Germination enhanced the protein and minerals especially iron content with the reduction in fat.