Quality Profiling of Gluten and Dairy Free Probiotic Beverages from Finger Millet

Background: Fermented millet-based beverages are a nutrient-dense non-dairy beverage choice that has been a part of our diets since ancient times. Finger millet is a nutritious cereal rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and other phytochemicals. The present study aimed to ascertain the use of finger millets in the formulation of non-dairy probiotic beverages and examine the effect of different treatments on the sensory acceptance of the beverages. Methods: Finger millet-based beverages were developed using four distinct pretreatment methods, including soaking and germination of grains, while the control beverage was prepared with grains that were neither soaked nor germinated. pH, total acidity, specific gravity and TSS of the beverages were investigated along with microbial quality. Result: Results revealed that finger millet stands out as an excellent substrate for the development of fermented beverages, particularly when combined with probiotic strains such as Lactobacillus acidophilis and Streptococcus thermophilus. Treatment S3 was the most acceptable beverage among the developed formulations based on sensory evaluation results.