Insights into how milling methods affect the quality performance of proso millet dumplings: a perspective from starch hierarchical structure and technological properties

To investigate the effects of milling methods on the quality performance of millet dumplings from the perspective of starch hierarchical structural changes, different milling methods (dry, semi-dry and wet milling) were compared. Results indicated that semidry milling millet flour had lower amount of damaged starch (3.71%) and freezable water compared with dry milling flour, but higher than wet milling. Starch granules prepared by wet milling had the highest values of lamellar ordering degree ( d c , 6.16 nm), relative crystallinity (20.6%), short-range ordered degree (0.97) and double helices (42.5%). And these ordered multi-scale structures may increase the thermostability and characteristic viscosity of starch, thus leading to a decreased water loss rate, as well as elevations in the transmittance of the soup, hardness, adhesiveness and gumminess of millet dumplings. These indicated that wet-milled millet flour with reduced content of damaged starch and highly ordered hierarchical structure may facilitate the production of dumplings with superior quality. • Proso millet milled with different methods were used for preparing dumplings. • Millet flours with damaged starch content below 4% were suitable for sweet dumpling. • The relationship among structure, characteristics and product quality was revealed. • Highly ordered structures may favor the production of dumplings with superior quality.