Development of Extruded Product from Pearl Millet Flour Blended with Corn Flour: A Sensory Evaluation Approach

Abstract

Pearl millet, with its exceptional nutritional profile and agronomic characteristics, has yet to achieve widespread global popularity when compared to other cereal crops. To mitigate the restricted accessibility of millets and broaden their health advantages to remote areas, it is imperative to create universally accepted food items. Leveraging a twin-screw extruder offers meticulous management over the extrusion process variables, guaranteeing uniform product quality. The experiments were conducted with controlled independent variables, including a die temperature set at 120°C, a screw speed of 275 rpm, and a moisture content of 16% (wet basis). Sensory evaluation was then carried out to assess the organoleptic characteristics of the extruded products. The study explored six different flour compositions of pearl millet flour and corn flour. A trained sensory panel was involved in evaluating the extruded products, focusing on parameters such as chewiness, hardness, taste, color, and overall acceptability. Evaluations of the products' chewiness and hardness were done to gauge their mouthfeel and texture. Taste evaluation was conducted to gauge flavor attributes and palatability, while color analysis was carried out to ascertain the visual appeal of the products. Panelists utilized a 9-point hedonic scale to assign scores to each attribute, enabling a comparative analysis of various flour compositions. The blend including 70% pearl millet flour and 30% maize flour obtained the highest marks in the sensory test, indicating that it is suitable for extruded product manufacture.