Development of finger and barnyard millet-based probiotic soup mix incorporated with bioactive flower waste of Himalayan region

• Ready-to-reconstitute millet-based probiotic soup mixes were developed • Edible waste of rhododendron and marigold flower was used as a natural bioactives • Probiotic coated flakes were incorporated as potential therapeutic • Soups are shelf stable, nutrient dense and support utilization of agri-food waste The growing demand for sustainable food production has highlighted the potential of underutilized crops and edible flower waste. Millets are resilient Nutri-cereals, while edible flowers of Himalayan region (rhododendron and marigold) offer a rich source of various bioactive compounds, and incorporating floral waste into millet-based food products valorizes it. This study developed and standardized two probiotic millet soup formulations: Finger Millet Rhododendron Soup (FMRS) and Barnyard Millet Marigold Soup (BMMS). The results indicate a significant difference (p < 0.05) in nutritional and functional properties between the formulations. Rheological and sensory evaluations confirmed the acceptability of the standardized formulations, with the highest hedonic scores of 7.22 and 7.18. FMRS exhibited higher viscoelastic properties compared to BMMS, suggesting differences in structural consistency. The incorporation of edible flower waste (natural bioactive) enhanced the polyphenolic profile, with a total anthocyanin content 2.14 mg/g in FMRS and total carotenoid content of 62.55 μg/g in BMMS. Standardization of probiotic sorghum millet flakes in reconstituted soups with added 6% flakes was found to be optimum, improving protein, fiber, and probiotic cell viability (10.21 log cfu/g), while maintaining sensory acceptability. These findings highlight the potential of millet-based soup formulations as functional and nutritionally enhanced foods with health-promoting benefits.