ICAR Research Data Repository for Knowledge Management

Sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum) and finger millet (Eleusine coracana) were milled in Quadrumat Junior Mill (QJM) set to 0.03, 0.02 and 0.01 mm roll gaps at their normal moisture contents (11:1:1.5%) and also after raising the moisture content to 15% and tempering for about 10 min (incipient moist conditioning -IPMC). It was observed that, IPMC reduced the pulverisability of the seed coat and its admixture with the flour. Accordingly, milling trials on sorghum and the millets after IPMC were conducted in experimental roll stands (ERS). It was found that milling sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet, initially with the mill set up consisting of.14/18, 22/22, 28/28 corrugations rolls adjusted to 0.025", 0.031" and 0.010" gaps, respectively, were identified as suitable conditions for extraction of flour with minimum bran contamination. Subsequently, the overtails were milled in the rolls of different corrugations adjusted to varying gap settings to prepare refined flour. Similarly, pearl and finger millets were also milled in the standardised milling setup. Under the optimized conditions of milling in ERS, the yield of refined flours from sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet were 72.4,78.4 and 71.3%, respectively. Protein, ash and fibre contents of the refined flours were 10.3, 14.7,3.9; 1.4, 1.5,1.6, and 1.2, 1.1 and 1.9%, respectively. No appreciable differences were observed in the amino acid contents between the whole meal and the corresponding flour fractions. The yield and composition of flour and bran fractions from ERS were comparable to similar fractions prepared in the QJM.