Impact of milling on the nutrients and anti-nutrients in browntop millet (Urochloa ramosa) and its milled fractions: evaluation of their flour functionality.

BACKGROUND: Browntop millet has gained popularity in recent years owing to its nutritional superiority and health benefits. However, the usage of browntop millet flours as ingredients in composite flours and functional foods is constrained due to a lack of information regarding the grain composition and its flour functionality. Therefore, the distribution of nutrients, anti-nutrients in browntop millet milled fractions and their flour functionality was evaluated in comparison to whole grain flour. RESULTS: Bran fraction comprised the highest protein (13.7%) and fat contents (27%) among other fractions. Pearling of dehulled grains considerably reduced phytic acid, saponins and flatulence-causing oligosaccharides in pearled grain flours. Besides, this led to the enrichment of soluble fibre, minerals, phenolics and trypsin inhibitors in bran fraction. Milling also impacted flour functionality. Despite its lower water holding ability, dehulled grain flour exhibited significantly higher oil absorption capacity than whole grain flour due to the removal of fibre-rich hull fraction. Although emulsion (45.2%) and foaming capacities (12.5%) were superior in bran flour, foam stability was greater in pearled grain flours. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the potential utilisation of browntop millet milled flours as ingredients in the development of distinct food formulations and as partial substitutes to wheat flour in confectionary and bakery products. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Implication of solvent polarities on browntop millet (Urochloa ramosa) phenolic antioxidants and their ability to protect oxidative DNA damage and inhibit α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes.

Phenolics of browntop millet extracted in solvents with varying polarities [water, methanol, acetone (80%), ethanol (70%)] were comparatively assessed for their phenolic profiles, antioxidant activities, DNA damage protection and enzyme inhibitory properties. Results indicated that acetone (80%) and ethanol (70%) were most effective in extracting millet phenolics than other solvents. Gallic, caffeic and ferulic acids were the major phenolic acids, myricetin and kaempferol were the most abundant flavonoids detected in all the extracts of browntop millet. Phenolics extracted in 80% acetone and 70% ethanol offered noticeable contributions toward several antioxidant mechanisms and prevented the oxidative DNA damage than water and methanol extracts. All the millet extracts exhibited potent inhibition towards α-glucosidase than α-amylase activities. These results suggest that the solvents and their polarities impacted the extraction and bioactivities of millet phenolics and provided useful information for the effective utilization of browntop millet as a functional food ingredient to manage hyperglycemia.