Value addition to finger millet (Eleusine coracana) by germination and fermentation with Monascus purpureus

The present investigation has been carried out to highlight the importance of germination
and fermentation of finger millet with Monascus purpureus. Finger millet was subjected to
(i) germination, (ii) to fermentation with M. purpureus, and (iii) germination followed by
fermentation with M. purpureus. The results of this experiment suggest that the germinated
(72 h) finger millet fermented (10 days) with M. purpureus showed reduction in phytic acid and
tannin contents by 88.8% and 90.1%, respectively, with an increase of 61.5% HCl-extractable
minerals, reducing sugars and soluble proteins thereby supporting the production of antihypercholesterolemic
metabolite, statin.