Nutrient composition, amino acid and vitamin contents of malted sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet and their rootlets

Sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet were allowed to germinate up to 96 h and samples were withdrawn from the germinating bed at every 24 h intervals, dried at 50 degrees C and derooted to prepare the malt. The native and the malt samples were analysed for the proximate principles, and amino acids, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and ascorbic acid contents. Protein, fat, ash and crude fibre contents of the rootlets separated from the malt were also determined. Protein content of finger millet malt was considerably less than the native millet, but the protein, fat and mineral contents of native and malted sorghum and pearl millet were almost the same. A noticeable increase in lysine content and decrease in sulphur-containing amino acids were also recorded only in the case of finger millet on malting. Malting enhanced riboflavin, niacin and ascorbic acid contents but slightly reduced the thiamine content of sorghum as well as both the millets. The SEM photomicrographs of the endosperm portion of sorghum and pearl millet exhibited visible pitting of starch granules, but contrary to this in the case of finger millet, only surface erosion was noticed. The rootlets from sorghum as well as the millets were rich sources of protein and the essential amino acids.