Development and Evaluation of Fruit Incorporated Pearl Millet, Bajra (Pennisetum glaucum) Malt Drink Mix

An experiment was undertaken with an attempt to exploit the commercial use of pearl millet, and to improve the nutritive value of products developed from the grains by incorporating fruits such as papaya and banana. Pearl millet grain was malted by soaking in potable water for 18hrs, germination for 30hrs followed by drying at 50°C till moisture was reduced to 5% and then milled into flour. The malt mixes were formulated by incorporating fruits in two different ways. Firstly, prepared fruit powder of papaya or banana was incorporated into the malt at 10–50% level on flour basis. Secondly, the malt was made into a slurry by adding equal amount of drinking water following which, papaya and banana pulp were incorporated into the prepared slurry at 10–50% level on wet basis to the malt slurry separately, dried at 60°C and made into fine powder. 50% incorporation of papaya powder and 30% incorporation of banana pulp showed the least the standard deviations on sensorial analysis and were selected as most acceptable malt mixes. The physicohemical characteristics of the best combinations were evaluated. The most acceptable malt mixes were then packed in HDPE and laminated pouches and subjected for storage study for a period of two months at 4°C. Sensory scores show a decreasing trend in the overall acceptability of the products with increase in storage.