Author(s): Renu Tiwari, Mangla Dave, Kirti Uikey, Rashmi Limaye and Payal Puri

Abstract: Millets have been a fundamental part of the Indian diet for centuries. They are extremely nutritious grains with substantial amounts of protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. This nutritionally packed grain once disappeared from the Indian staple diet is back as a superfood today due to its incredible health benefits. Millets contain more high-quality protein than major cereals such as rice and wheat. This makes millet a valuable food for people following vegan gluten-free diets. In this present analysis, two millets viz., Jowar (sorghum) and Ragi (finger millet) were evaluated for comparative protein analysis and their digestibility because of their larger consumption, production in India, and popularity among health-conscious people. Aqueous extracts of millet samples were prepared by homogenization following protein estimation and profiling by SDS-PAGE. The protein digestibility of millets was evaluated by Biuret method and agar well diffusion assay. The results confirmed that the protein content (14.5 mg/100 ml) and digestibility of Jowar were highest as compared to Ragi. Jowar protein digestibility by trypsin was prominent in the form of a clear zone diameter on the gelatin agar plate. SDS-PAGE analysis confirmed that Jowar showed maximum of 3 different types of protein bands ranging from 15 to 37 kDa. The consumption of cereal grains with high protein digestibility is of paramount importance to support growth and a healthy metabolism. It can thus be concluded that Jowar is an appropriate food grain to be incorporated into our daily diet due to its high protein quality and digestibility.

DOI: 10.33545/26174693.2023.v7.i2Sh.264