EVALUATION OF NUTRITIONAL AND FUNCTIONAL STATUS OF THREE VARIETIES OF FOXTAIL MILLET CULTIVARS IN BANGLADESH

The objective of this work was to assess the proximate composition and selected functional status of three Bangladeshi cultivars (BK1, BK2 and BK3) of Foxtail millet (FT) flour. The results showed that the BK3 millet flour contained significantly higher (p < 0.05) amount of protein, fiber and lower amount of carbohydrate than BK1 and BK2 FT millet flour. In case of ash, no significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed among the three varieties. However, the water absorption capacity of BK3 millet flour was significantly lower (p < 0.05) then BK1 and BK2 FT millet flour. Whereas oil absorption capacity, foaming capacity, emulsion stability and bulk density were not significantly varied (p < 0.05) among the three FT millet flours. FT millet flour could be potentially used for the preparation of the various nutrient rich recipes and may help to generate technology and to diversify the use of FT by the food processing enterprises.