Development and Evaluation of Instant Idli Mix from Small Millets

Abstract

The kodo millet and barnyard millet are nutritionally superior to rice and wheat and designated as nutritious cereals. Instant idli mix was developed from kodo millet and barnyard millet flour along with black gram dhal flour and fenugreek flour. The developed mixes were evaluated for their organoleptic and nutritional quality and microbial load. The developed millet instant idli mixes were highly acceptable at 100 % incorporation level and stored in high density polyethylene (P1), aluminium foil (P2) and metallised polypropylene (P3) for a period of 180 days. The substitution of kodo millet and barnyard millet flour idli mixes showed remarkable increase in the nutrients viz., protein 11.37 and 10.57 g, crude fibre 4.20 and 6.90 g, calcium 57.18 and 52.20 mg and iron 4.17 and 6.34 mg respectively. The shelf life of instant mixes were six months and microbial load was within the safer limit in all the packaging materials.