Effect of preliminary processing on antiradical properties of little millet landraces

Millet is most important cereal after rice, sorghum and wheat and is a staple food in many parts of Africa and India. The present study was conducted to know the effect of preliminary processing like decortication on antioxidant contents of 10 little millet landraces grown in the year 2007–09 and collected from the farmers. The values for α-tocopherol ranged between 1.75 to 5.43 mg/100 g. After milling there was reduction in α-tocopherol content. It was also observed that bran contained higher amount of α-tocopherol compared to decorticated grain. Phytic acid content of different little millet samples varied from 1.44 to 1.53 g/100 g. The highest phytic acid was noticed in millets collected from Jekinkatti-82 (1.53 g/100 g) followed by Ganjigatti-55 (1.53 g/100 g) and least in Chikkayagatti01 (1.44 g/100 g). It is observed that there was reduction in phytic acid content after milling. This reduction was statistically not significant. Milling significantly reduced the polyphenol content of different samples and reduction was statistically significant. The highest polyphenol content in decorticated grain was in millets collected from Jekinkatti-33 (90.73 mg/100 g) followed by Jekinkatti82 (69.87 mg/100 g) and least in Chadaval-53 (49.47 mg/100 g). Bran contained highest polyphenol content as polyphenols are concentrated in bran.