Suitability of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica) and Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumentacea) for Development of Low Glycemic Index Biscuits

Abstract

Millets have been neglected despite their nutritive value and therapeutic use. The present study was undertaken with the aim of preparing biscuits based on foxtail millet and barnyard millet and to evaluate their sensory quality and acceptability, nutritional value and glycemic index by comparing with biscuits made from refined wheat flour. The biscuits made from millet were prepared using 45% of millet flour and 55% of refined wheat flour. All the three types of biscuits were found to be acceptable by a trained panel and diabetic subjects. The shelf life study indicated that the biscuits made from both types of millet flour can be successfully stored for a period of 60 days in a thermally sealed single polyethylene bag at room conditions. The millet flour and biscuits had higher content of crude fibre, total ash and total dietary fibre than refined wheat flour and biscuits. Biscuits from foxtail millet flour had the lowest GI of 50.8 compared to 68 for biscuits from barnyard millet flour and refined wheat flour. Thus, besides its traditional use in making chapatti and porridge, millet can be exploited for the development of low GI therapeutic food products like biscuits. Further studies are needed to determine long term effects of consumption of foxtail millet biscuits on blood lipid profile and glycosylated haemoglobin of diabetics and cardiovascular patients.