Millet Based Approach for Fortification of Unbranded Low Cost Snacks for School Children
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Date
2018-09
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University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad
Abstract
The present study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional quality of commercially
available unbranded cereal snacks for school children, development and promotion of millet
fortified snacks through nutrition education and training to women entrepreneurs during 2015-
18. Totally 22 cereal snacks were documented from 30 local shops including rural and urban
areas and majority were sweets (68.18%). The wide variation and significant difference in the
proximate and mineral composition of cereal snacks was found. Snacks were rich in fat
content and energy. They were meeting 0.02 to 0.11%, 0.21 to 0.76% and 0.01 to 0.03% of
recommended protein, calcium and iron requirement of school children for one rupee. School
children were consuming unbranded snacks every day and these snacks were available at one
rupee. The developed composite flour contained germinated finger millet flour (50%),
fermented little millet (30%), refined wheat flour and germinated horse gram flour (10%
each). It exhibited good functional properties and enhanced the nutrition profile. The protein,
calcium and iron content of fortified snacks (Spicy and sweet lavang chur, burfi, sev ladoo
and biscuit) ranged from 13.74 to 25.12g/ 100g, 217.48 to 251.48 mg/100g and 7.31 to
14.05mg/100g respectively. The storage stability of developed composite mix and fortified
snacks ranged from one to two months. There was a significant shift in the knowledge of
entrepreneurs from moderate and low to high category after the training. Nutritional education
had positive impact on nutritional knowledge of children. Training and market linkage for
millet snacks at rural shops helped in providing income and employment opportunities to
women entrepreneurs in rural areas. Thus, nutrition awareness on millets and healthy snacks
to school children enhances the consumption of millets which could become one of the less
expensive technologies to overcome the problem of poor nutrition among school children and
helps to combat micronutrient deficiencies.