There is some good news for those who are looking for a healthier option for bread made of refined wheat flour (maida).
A team of nutritionists of the University of Agricultural Sciences–Bangalore has developed “non-junk” bread. This bread is made of nutrient-rich minor millets.
Head of the university’s Food Sciences and Nutrition Department H.B. Shivaleela, who was part of the research team that developed this product, told The Hindu that the millet bread was ideal for diabetics.
According her, it is rich in dietary fibres unlike the conventional white bread. Also, the millet bread is low glycogenic (it does not raise the blood sugar level instantaneously).
The university has applied for a Government of India patent for the millet bread. The product is yet to be released in the market.
The university wants to transfer the technology of producing millet-bread to interested people for a fee.
Dr. Shivaleela says it is also possible to prepare “non-junk” pizzas and buns using this technology. She feels that the product will open up new marketing avenues for farmers who grow millets and help them get a remunerative price if the concept of millet bread picks up.
It took almost two years for a four-member team of scientists to develop the millet bread.
The high-nutritional value of minor millets, their positive impact on health and the fact that they are drought-resistant crops have made agricultural scientists to work towards bringing these underutilised crops back into the food baskets of people, especially in urban areas. Accordingly, efforts are on to offer millets such as like ragi, foxtail ( navane ), pearl millet (sajje ), little millet ( saame ) and sorghum in the form of food products that are popular in urban areas.
