Formulation and nutritional evaluation of multigrain ready-to-eat snack mix from minor cereals.

A ready-to-eat nutritious snack mix was developed
by blending the flour from popped millets and legumes
with sugar and other ingredients in the optimized proportion
of 30:20:27:23. The nutrient composition, functional properties,
sensory qualities and storage characteristics of the
product were analysed. The product contained protein
14.0±0.07 g, fat 14.5±0.72 g, carbohydrates 59.0±1.20 g
and dietary fiber 6.3±0.04 g per 100 g of mix. The sensory
evaluation of the product revealed that color, taste, texture,
aroma, appearance and overall quality were in acceptable
range with mean score of 6.8. Shelf life of the product was
about 90 days under normal conditions when stored in low
density polypropylene pouches. The work indicates the
potential of using coarse cereals and legumes for preparation
of nutritious food for societal program.