Yenagi, NirmalaAkkavva Wadakappanavar S.2023-10-272023-10-272018-09https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810199762The 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.EnglishThesis