A review on processing technologies for value added millet products

Abstract Millets are the high‐energy foods that have been cultivated since 10,000 years ago and are typically grown in degraded and marginal lands. Finger millet, pearl millet, foxtail millet, barnyard millet, proso millet, kodo millet, and sorghum millet are the seven most important millets grown worldwide along with other minor millets like Teff, Fonio, brown top millet, and so on. Nowadays, there are many problems like obesity, diabetes, coronary diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, and the risk of colon, breast cancer which are increasing day by day keeping in their current sedentary lifestyle as a result of ones reliable on cereals based diet only. At present, it is necessary to diverse our diets from cereals to other nutritionally dense millets which are the source of all vital nutrients and minerals besides providing general nutrients required for human growth. Although there are numerous food processing technologies available to transform millets into a variety of products with added value, their practical adoption in the food processing industries is still lacking. Low demand in the market is a result of a variety of reasons, starting with the agricultural process. These factors include the scarcity of high‐quality seeds, inadequate equipment, a lack of technical understanding, and consumer misconceptions about the sensory qualities of millet. However, because millet has so many potential uses, attention is now being drawn to this area of study. Millets would therefore considerably enhance market demand and open up countless opportunities for the production of millet‐based goods on a large scale. Therefore, the goal of the current article is to thoroughly analyze millet processing technology and bioprocessing methods, including health benefits. This review focuses on the nutritional properties and millets seed processing technologies of Indian millets along with their advantages and impact on their nutritional components. Practical applications Various technologies have been developed to formulate millets based value‐added products. Over the traditional processing, the impact of modern processing like dehusking, pearling, grinding, and so on, techniques have been approached to greater extent for millets processing. Non‐thermal techniques are now‐a‐days used because of its low adverse consequences and various benefits over old traditional techniques. The most important food processing technologies for each millet are included in the review, along with a list of millet‐based goods that are readily available worldwide. It also includes information on the millet nutritional properties and the impact of processing technologies over them. The current study suggests expanding millet and millet‐based goods' high‐value uses in industrial settings. Millets have the best nutritional profile of any cereal, have more environmentally friendly production methods, and are better for consumers, farmers, and the environment.