Effect of Different Processing Methods on Glycemic Index(GI) of Value Based Products Added Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumentacea Link.)

Millets are small seeded annual grasses with good nutritional profile.Among millets, Barnyard millet is one of the important minor millet having nutritional and therapeutic importance. The present investigation was undertaken to study the effect of different processing methods on Glycaemic Index (GI) of value based products added Barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea Link.) based products. GI is a measurement carried out on carbohydrate containing foods and their impact on blood sugar. Barnyard millet based products such as Noodles, Cookies and Khakara were developed by extrusion, baking and roasting methods respectively. Value addition with pulses to these products was carried out at different level (10%, 15% and 20%). By sensory evaluation the highly accepted products were subjected to nutritional and GI studies. The nutritional analysis and GI study was carried out by following standard procedures. The GI study was conducted on eighty healthy female adult volunteers. The volunteers were given glucose and test carbohydrate separately on alternate days after 12 hour overnight fasting. The rise in blood glucose level after consumption of glucose e and test carbohydrate was measured to assess the GI. The result of the present investigation indicated that there was increase in macro and micronutrient composition after value addition with pulses. Pulse cookies recorded low Glycemic Index value (24.42) which was statistically significant from Pulse Noodles (35.68) and Pulse khakara (37.95).Thus, it was concluded that among the three different processing methods, products prepared from baking elicited low Glycemic Index value followed by extrusion and roasting methods.