Physicochemical properties of finger millet and malted finger millet muffins

The present research work was carried out to explore the possibility of incorporating finger millet in muffins. Plain finger millet muffins were prepared from 60% finger millet flour with 40% wheat flour, while malted finger millet muffins were prepared from 20% malted finger millet flour with 80% wheat flour. The muffins were packed in polypropylene bag and aluminum foil, and stored at either ambient (30 ± 40 C) or refrigerated temperature (5± 20 C) for 6 days. The fresh plain and malted muffins contained 22.30 and 22.52% moisture, 10.34 and 9.12% protein, 30.49 and 30.47% fat, 1.52 and 1.68% crude fibre, 35.51 and 37.38% carbohydrate, 163.22 and 164.36 mg/100 g calcium, 6.32 and 3.46 mg/100 g iron respectively. The sensory evaluation of muffins was carried out and it was observed that mean score of plain and malted muffins was 8.5 and 8.5 for colour and appearance, 8.3 and 8.3 for texture, 8.5 and 8.7 for flavour, 8.6 and 8.6 for taste, while 8.4 and 8.5 for overall acceptability respectively. The sensory quality of muffins decreased during storage; however, those were acceptable up to 3 days storage at ambient temperature and 6 days at refrigerated temperatures. Muffins stored in aluminum foil at refrigerated temperature were of better quality as compared to those stored in polypropylene bags, at ambient temperature.