Oluwatoyin Oluwole¹, W. M.A.D. Binosha Fernando², Keiron Audain³, Olufemi Fasanmade⁴, Oluwatosin Ijabadeniyi⁵, Kolawole Falade⁶, Adjei Maame Yaakwaah⁷, Vijay Jayasena^8,

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of processing variables (germination time, roasting temperature and time) on the phytonutrients and antioxidants activity of millet. The germination time employed in this study ranged from 24 - 72 h, roasting temperature ranged from 112.5 -120.0°C and the roasting time ranged from 15 - 21 min based on an earlier preliminary study. All samples exhibited antioxidant properties and these properties were dose dependent. Positive correlations were obtained between the antioxidant activity of the samples and the content of the phytochemicals. Both germination and roasting time had an effect on the total antioxidant capacity of the germinated millet product. There was an interactive effect between the germination time and roasting time on the total antioxidant capacity and DPPH scavenging property. A negative interactive effect of germination time and roasting temperature as well as roasting temperature and roasting time on the total antioxidant capacity and DPPH values were observed. The germinated and roasted millet products showed the total antioxidant capacity of 39.30 - 66.01 mg/100g, DPPH value of 68.26 - 79.65 µg/ml and reducing power values of 0.353 - 0.441 µg/ml. The results demonstrated that germinated and roasted millet could be useful as an ingredient for functional food. The optimum conditions for processing millet into a functional food ingredient are germination time of 68.97 h, roasting temperature of 114.79°C and roasting time of 15.00 min, resulting at roasted millet product that possess 54.644 mg/100g of total antioxidant capacity, 72.152 µg/ml of DPPH value and 0.376µg/ml of reducing power values.

millet, phytonutrient, germinate, optimize, antioxidant capacity, reducing power, DPPH