Production and Consumer Acceptance of Millet Beverages

Abstract

The use of millet for the production of plant-based beverages has beneficial effects because it is healthy and gluten-free. In its raw form, millet is rich in dietary fiber and polyphenols. Millet beverages are characterized by relatively low popularity among the consumers of plant beverages. This is mainly due to the drawbacks, namely the presence of plant flavors and “millet” smell. Constant market growth requires new products to be developed in order to meet the consumers’ expectations. The acceptance of millet beverages significantly increases when these are offered in various flavors. Furthermore, the addition of apple or banana puree to millet recipes can increase their desirability. Stabilization of millet beverages is important as they have the tendency to delaminate. This can be overcome by the use of natural stabilizers such as pectin and agar-agar which seems to be an effective option for these products.