Standardisation and Quality Evaluation of Barnyard Millet Incorporated Probiotic Yoghurt

Millets are said to be nutri-cereals because they provide most of the nutrients required for normal functioning of human body. It can be fermented for increasing their nutrient quality and digestibility, as well as their sensory qualities and functional qualities for local populations. Probiotics can be used to ferment millet which may enhance the nutritional content and bioavailability of nutrients in millets, and when administered in adequate amounts can confer health benefits for the host. In this context, standardisation of barnyard millet based yoghurt was done. Treatments with various combinations were tried, among which 50 % milk and 50 % millet slurry was selected as the best with mean scores of 8.67 for appearance, 8.76 for colour, 8.60 for flavour, 8.60 for taste, 8.62 for texture and 8.69 for overall acceptability. A 25 g of the barnyard millet based yoghurt was fermented with1 ml of probiotic culture (L. acidophilus) and 2 ml of yoghurt culture, incubated for 6 h at 38º C. The nutrients of non-probiotic barnyard millet based yoghurt along with probiotic yoghurt was assessed, and it was found to have moisture content of 85.05 and 87.03 %, acidity 0.72 and 0.81 %, pH 4.02 and 3.88, carbohydrate 8.76 and 8.58 %, protein 3.49 and 3.52 %, fat 0.59 and 0.63 %,TSS 12° brix and 11° brix, reducing sugar 8.33 and 7.55 %, total sugar 11.55 and 10.99 % crude fibre 0.60 and 0.50 % and total ash 0.68 and 0.69 %, respectively.