Organoleptic and Nutritive Scoring of Value Added Cereal Products from Grain Amaranth (Amaranthus Spp.).

A number of millets and
pseudocereals are as good as the true
cereals in many aspects of nutritional value3.
Therefore, either substituting or supplementing
the staple cereals with millets and
pseudocereals and thereby improving the
nutritive value of foods are under
experimentation4-6. Amaranth, a
pseudocereal possess the usual
characteristics of cereals such as bland taste,
ease of cooking and also contain a substantial
quality of cooking and fat as compared to
most cereals'. Caloric density, fibre and
mineral content of amaranth are also more
than the conventional grains'. Nevertheless
amaranth grain is still cultivated as a minor
food crop and its consumption is limited only
to certain places. The usage of amaranth
green, though very common in many parts of
India9. Partial substitution of grain amaranth
flour with wheat and rice flour was found to
be beneficial for NIDDM (Non Insulin
Dependent Diabetes Mellitus) subjects
because of its high amino acid, calcium and
iron contents10. Amaranth has other health
benefits like hypocholesterolaemic effect .
which was proved in animal models"• 12.
Amaranth flour has hypoallergic property, well
suited for patients who are allergic towards
cereals'3. These seeds also have beneficial
effect when incorporated in the diet of
patients suffering from celiac disease due to
the lack of gluten'''. Keeping in view the high
nutrient content and health benefits of
amaranth grain, an effort to improve its utility
as supplement to staple cereals has been
made in this study.