Characterisation of malted milk powders enriched with bioactive compounds by germinated rice, maize, and green gram

Abstract Malted milk powder is one of the popular nutritive beverages worldwide, made from germinated grains and milk. It is rich in essential nutrients along with bioactive compounds, which are valuable in human nutrition. This study explored the blended incorporation of germinated cereals and pulses (rice, maize, and green gram) into milk at varying ratios (40:60, 50:50, and 60:40) to formulate a malted milk powder. The physicochemical, structural, and functional characteristics of malted milk powders incorporating a mix of germinated cereals and pulses were analysed and compared to control samples. As the proportion of the germinated malt mix in malted milk powder increased, there was a significant rise (p < .05) in proteins, polyphenols, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and minerals, along with a reduction in fat, compared to malted milk powder containing the ungerminated malt mix. Enzymatic hydrolysis during germination enhanced the nutrition and bioactivity. Additionally, significant alterations in the microstructure of malted milk powders containing the germinated malt mix, as well as changes in protein secondary structure, contributed to improved dispersibility and solubility. However, the powders retained a darker colour compared to malted milk powders containing an ungerminated malt mix. Overall, the findings underscored that incorporating germinated rice, maize, and green gram into milk enhances bioactivity and antioxidant activity while improving the nutritional and structural attributes of malted milk powder, providing promising insights into the potential application in the functional dairy beverage industry.