Nutrient composition, amino acid and vitamin contents of malted sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet and their rootlets.

Sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet were allowed to germinate up to 96 h and
samples were withdrawn from the germinating bed at every 24 h intervals, dried at
5O°C and derooted to prepare the malt. The native and the malt samples were
analysed for the proximate principles, and amino acids, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin
and ascorbic acid contents. Protein, fat, ash and crude fibre contents of the rootlets
separated from the malt were also determined. Protein content of finger millet malt
was considerably less than the native millet, but the protein, fat and mineral contents
of native and malted sorghum and pearl millet were almost the same. A noticeable
increase in lysine content and decrease in sulphur-containing amino acids were also
recorded only in the case of finger millet on malting. Malting enhanced riboflavin,
niacin and ascorbic acid contents but slightly reduced the thiamine content of
sorghum as well as both the millets. The SEM photomicrographs of the endosperm
portion of sorghum and pearl millet exhibited visible pitting of starch granules, but
contrary to this in the case of finger millet, only surface erosion was noticed. The
rootlets from sorghum as well as the millets were rich sources of protein and the
essential amino acids.