Physico-Chemical and Functional Characteristics of Selected Millets and Pulses

The physico-chemical and functional properties of selected millets (viz., kodo millet, little millet, proso millet and pearl millet) and pulses (viz., horse gram and soybean) were studied. Millets are good sources of energy, protein, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and polyphenols. Thousand grain weights of the selected millets was found to be high in pearl millet (11.39 g/100g) compared to kodo millet, proso millet and little millet (2.45, 2.43 and 2.23 g/100g, respectively) and in pulses the highest and lowest values were observed in soybean (146.03 g/100g) and horse gram (34.25 g/100g) respectively. Bulk density of millets and pulses was recorded to be high in pearl millet (1.75) and soybean (1.96) when compared to the other grains. Water absorption index was high in wheat flour (9.10%) while the water solubility index was high in pearl millet flour (9.62%) respectively. The protein content was maximum in proso millet (12.86 g/100g) and soybean (42.72 g/100g) followed by pearl millet, kodo millet, little millet and horse gram. Fat content was low in all the millets and it was maximum in soybean (18.80 g/100g). Among the four millets the fiber and ash contents were high in kodo millet followed by little, pearl and proso millet. Also higher levels of calcium, iron and phosphorus were observed in millets and pulses.