Plant Foods for Human Nutrition 47: 279-285, 1995.

© 1995 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.

Effects of seed treatments and storage on the changes in lipids of

pearl millet meal

R.V. KADLAG, J.K. CHAVAN & D.P. KACHARE

Department of Biochemistry, Mahatma Phute Agricultural University, Rahuri 413 722, MS, India

Received 7 June 1993; accepted in revised form 23 February 1995

Key words: Lipids, Meal, Pearl millet, Seed treatments, Storage

Abstract. Lipids in pearl millet meal showed a rapid hydrolytic decomposition during storage. The
magnitude of such degradation was influenced significantly by the nature of the storage container
used, the temperature and heat treatments given to the seeds. The hydrolytic breakdown of lipids
was significantly low in the meals stored in polyethylene bags, plastic boxes and under refrigerated
(5 _+ 2 °C) conditions. Hot water blanching at 98 °C for 10 sec and dry heating of seeds at 100 °C
for 120 min were found to be most effective in minimising the undesirable changes in lipids of the
meal during storage.

Introduction

Pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum L. Leeke) is an important source of energy

and nutrients for a large section of population in Asia and Africa [11. In India,
almost the entire production is milled in a traditional stone mill and used to
prepare unleavened pan bread (roti). A poor storage stability of the whole meal
is a serious problem in the utilization of pearl millet.
The grains of pearl millet can be stored upto a year without substantial
quality changes [2, 3]. However, the quality rapidly deteriorates when the
grains are ground into meal [4]. Both hydrolytic and oxidative changes are
reported in the lipids of the meal [4-61. Poor storage quality of the meal has
attributed primarily to the hydrolytic changes associated with the action of
lipase [2, 7, 8]. The lipid decomposition in the meal during storage also
resulted in the loss of essential amino acids and biological value of meal
proteins [9-111.
Earlier attempts to retard such deteriorative changes in lipids of the meal
include development of dry milling processes that remove the major lipid-
containing portions of the grain (germ and aleurone layers) from the endos-
perm [12]. Applieation of dry heat, mixing of salt or antioxidants, solvent
extraction of tipids, use of different containers for storage of the meal E91, and
heating of the conditioned grains to inactivate lipid hydrotysing enzymes [8].
Dry milling results in a significant loss of edible dry matter, while the other
methods appear to be impracticable at domestic level in the developing
280

countries. In this investigation, simple heat treatments to dry seeds, adaptable

at domestic level, were standardised to minimise the breakdown of lipids
during storage to improve shelf-life of the pearl millet meal.

Materials and methods

Materials. The freshly harvested seeds of cultivar RHRBH-8609 were obtained

from the Millet Breeder of the University and stored at 4 °C until used for
experiments.

Storage containers. The seeds were ground in a laboratory stone mill to obtain
about 60 mesh whole meal. The meals were stored in cotton bags, sealed
polyethylene bags and tightly capped plastic boxes at ambient temperature
(27 °C) and 70 to 80% relative humidity (RH) for 30 days.

Storage temperature. The fl'eshly prepared whole meals were stored in plastic
boxes at ambient (27 °C) and refrigerated (5 ± 2 °C) temperature up to 30 days.

Dry heat treatments. The seeds were subjected to dry heat treatments in a
hot-air oven at 100 _+ 2 °C for 60 to 120 min, rapidly cooled under a cool-air
fan and milled to 60 mesh whole meal. The meals were stored in plastic boxes
at ambient temperature (27 °C) and 70--80% RH up to 30 days.

Hot water blanchin9 treatment. The seeds, loosely tied in muslin cloth were
dipped in boiling water at 98 °C for 10 or 20 sec, drained, dried at 40 °C to
initial weight and milled to obtain 60 mesh whole meal. The meals were stored
in plastic boxes at ambient conditions of temperature (27 °C) and 70-80% RH
up to 30 days.

Chemical analyses. The changes in lipids in the meal were periodically

monitored during storage. The fat acidity [13] was determined directly in
meals while the acid value, % free fatty acids and peroxide value were
estimated in petroleum either extracted tipids [14]. The changes in moisture
content [13] of the meals during storage were also recorded at the initial
(0 day) and final (30 days) stage of storage. Data obtained were analysed for
least significant difference (LSD at 5%) using factorial completely randomised
design [15].

Results and discussion

Effects of storage container. The lipids in the meal stored at ambient conditions
were found to undergo a rapid hydrolytic breakdown during storage as
evidenced by a significant increase in fat acidity of the meal, and acid value or
 281

% free fatty acids (% FFA) in the extracted oil (Table 1). The peroxide value
of the extracted oil increased up to 5 days of storage and later decreased. The
decrease in peroxide value can be attributed to a loss of volatiles during
extended storage that are measured as peroxides by the procedure [2]. The
storage containers exhibited a significant influence on the lipolytic and
oxidative decomposition of lipids. Lipid degradation was the highest in the
meal stored in cotton bags while such changes were found to be lower for the
meal stored in plastic boxes or polyethylene bags under similar conditions. The
initial moisture content of 10% was found to increase to 10.9% for the meal
stored in cotton bags while it did not change in the meals stored in polyethy-
lene bags or plastic boxes.

Effects of storage temperature. Storage temperature exhibited a significant

influence on both hydrolytic and oxidative stability of meal lipids. The lipolytic
decomposition measured in terms of fat acidity (LSD 0.514), acid value (LSD
0.243) or % FFA (LSD 0.052) was found to be significantly lower in the meal
stored at 5 °C as compared to the meal held at 27 °C (Table 2). Peroxide
accumulation increased up to 20 days of storage in the meal stored at 55 °C,
however the differences in mean peroxide values were nonsignificant.

Effect of dry heat treatment to seeds. Heating of grains before milling resulted
in decrease in the fat acidity while it increased the peroxide value of oil from
fresh meals (Table 3). During storage of meals at 27 °C however, the fat acidity,
acid value and % FFA were found to increase significantly in both unheated

Table 1. Effects of containers on changes in the lipids of pearl millet meal during storage

Container Storage period (days) LSD at 5%

0 5 10 15 20 30

Fatty acidity (mg KOH/100 g meal)

Cottong bag 13.2 85.2 109.3 159.4 237.6 234.4 Container 0.704
Polyethylene bag 13.2 61.2 96.6 143.5 187.4 230.9 Period 1.000
Plastic box 13.2 66.9 89.5 123.6 143.3 209.4 Interaction 1.730
Acid value (mg KOH/g oil)
Cotton bag 1.6 8.7 13.1 20.1 24.4 39.2 Container 0.215
Polyethylene bag 1.6 7.4 11.8 16.3 20.1 28.7 Period 0.305
Plastic box 1.6 6.4 10.4 14,7 18.3 25.6 Interaction 0.528
Free fatty acids (%)
Cotton bag 0.9 4.3 6.6 10.0 12.0 19.7 Container 0.075
Polyethylene bag 0.9 3.7 5.9 8.2 10.1 14.5 Period 0.t06
Plastic box 0.9 2.9 5.2 7.4 9.4 12.6 Interaction 0.183
Peroxide value (meq/kg oil)
Cotton 1.5 5.3 4.5 3.2 2.9 2.5 Container 0.112
Polyethylene bag 1.5 13.8 6.2 5.7 4.2 3.8 Period 0.158
Plastic box 1.5 7.7 5.7 4.5 3.3 3.0 Interaction 0.275
282

Table 2. Effects of temperatures on changes in the lipids of pearl millet meal during storage

Storage Storage period (days) LSD at 5%

temperature
(in °C) 0 5 10 15 20 30

Fat acidity (rag KOH/100 g meal)

27 _+ 2 13.2 53.5 89.5 123.6 143.3 209.4 Temperature 0.514
Period 0.890
5+ 2 t3.2 22.4 24.6 29.7 34.9 48.4 Interaction 1.250

Acid value (mg K O H / g oil)

27 4- 2 1.6 82 t0.4 14.8 18.3 25.6 Temperature 0.243
Period 0.420
5± 2 1.6 3.4 4.1 4.5 5.0 5.9 Interaction 0.594

Free fatty acids (%)

27 + 2 0.9 3.9 5.2 7.4 9.4 12.6 Temperature 0.052
Period 0.089
5+ 2 0.9 1.5 2.1 2.7 3.2 4.4 Interaction 0.126
Peroxide value (meqNg oil)
27 _ 2 1.5 7.7 5.7 4.5 3.3 3.0 Temperature 0.13
Period 0.225
5 _+ 2 1.5 3.2 4.1 5.4 7.6 4.6 Interaction 0.319

or heated samples. The rate of increase in fat acidity, acid value or % FFA in
the meal obtained from heated grains was, however, 3 to 4 fold lower than the
meal from unheated grains. Heating of grains for 120 min was found to be most
effective for maximum retardation of the lipolytic decomposition of tipids
during storage. Although the peroxide level was higher in fresh meals of dry
heated grains, it was found to decrease subsequently during storage in all the
meals. Dry heating of grains decreased the moisture content from 10 to 6.5%
which do not change subsequently during storage.

Effect of boiling water blanching treatment to seeds. The dry grains subjected to
blanching treatment for 10 or 20 sec before milling produced results similar to
that of dry heating of grains at 100 °C for 120 min. The values of fat acidity,
acid value or % FFA for meals obtained from boiling water treated grains were
3 to 4 fold lower than the meal from untreated grains (Table 4). Boiling water
treatment to grains resulted in uptake of 5% additional moisture which was
reduced to the initial level by drying of blanched grains at 40 °C for 2 hours.
These results clearly suggest that the undesirable lipid changes in the pearl
millet meal can be effectively minimised by a simple boiling water treatment of
the grains at 98 °C for 10 sec before milling.
Lipase located in the germ and surface layers of the grain gets mixed
throughout the meal during milling and decomposes the meal lipids into free
fatty acids during storage [4]. This is evidenced by a rapid increase in fact
acidity of the stored meal, and acid value or % FFA of the meal oil [2, 10, 11].
The role of peroxidation in spoilage of pearl millet meal during storage has
been debated [2]. The values of fat acidity, acid value or peroxide value of
 283

Table 3. Effects of dry heat treatments to the seeds on changes in lipids of pearl millet during
storage

Heat treatments Storage period (days) LSD at 5%

0 5 10 t5 20 30

Fat acidity (mg KOH/100 g meal)

Unheated (control) 13,7 60.6 108.0 147,4 201.3 267.6 Heat treatment 0.725
Heated at 100 °C Storage period 0.795
60 rain 9.5 20.7 35.3 46.6 60.4 82.4 Interaction 1.770
90 rain 6.1 18.5 28.7 33.6 42.5 61.4
120 rain 8.4 14.5 21.5 26,9 32.7 46.0
Acid value (mg KOH/g oil)
Unheated (control) 1,6 8.2 11.5 18.3 23.0 31,9 Heat treatment 0.264
Heated at 100 °C Storage period 0.289
60 rain 1.9 3.4 5.4 7.2 9.6 10.4 Interaction 0.048
90 min 1.9 2.6 4.1 4.8 6.3 8.4
120 min 2.0 2.3 3.1 4.6 5.9 7.1
Free fatty acids (%)
Unheated (control) 0,82 4.5 6.5 8,7 11.7 16.9 Heat treatment 0.095
Heated at 100 °C Storage period 0.105
60 rain 1.0 1.7 2.7 3.1 4.8 5.6 Interaction 0.234
90 rain 1.0 1.3 2.1 2.4 3.5 4.2
120 rain 1.0 1.2 1.6 2.3 3.0 3.7
Peroxide value (meq/kg oil)
Unheated (control) 1.7 6.4 6.0 3,7 2.7 2.1 Heat treatment 0.144
Heated at 100 °C Storage period 0.158
60min 10.4 10.1 6.8 5.6 4.7 3.5 Interaction 0.353
90 rain 10.8 9.4 8.6 6.4 4.3 3.7
120 min 10.2 10.1 9.4 7.6 5.2 4.2

fresh, a n d s t o r e d c o n t r o l m e a l samples o b t a i n e d in the present s t u d y c o n c u r

with the literature [2, 10, 113.
Since the lipase activity is a m a j o r cause of spoilage of p e a r l millet meal, its
i n a c t i v a t i o n before milling is essential. A m o n g the containers, cloth b a g s allow
free access to a t m o s p h e r i c m o i s t u r e resulting in a r a p i d h y d r o l y t i c lipid
decomposition [23. B o t h sealed p o l y e t h y l e n e bags a n d plastic boxes offer
p a r t i a l p r o t e c t i o n from such agents. The use of plastic c o n t a i n e r s m a y be m o r e
c o n v e n i e n t a n d e c o n o m i c a l for b o t h small or large-scale s t o r a g e of the meal.
T h e a p p l i c a t i o n of d r y h e a t to the m e a l effectively r e t a r d e d the lipase activity
a n d m i n i m i s e d lipid d e c o m p o s i t i o n d u r i n g s t o r a g e [9]. It is m o r e convenient
to h e a t seeds t h a n meal. Such a h e a t t r e a t m e n t needs to be m i l d to a v o i d
d e t r i m e n t a l effects on o t h e r nutrients in the seeds. H e a t i n g of m o i s t grains of
p r o s o millet at 97 °C for 12min, p r o d u c e d a meal with i m p r o v e d shelf-life
w i t h o u t adverse effects o n the functional p r o p e r t i e s [8]. T h e use of boiling
w a t e r t r e a t m e n t reduces the h e a t i n g time to 10 sec to o b t a i n similar results for
pearl millet. T h e boiling w a t e r t r e a t m e n t to d r y seeds is simple, e c o n o m i c a l a n d
a d a p t a b l e for b o t h d o m e s t i c as well as large-scale processing.
284

Table 4. Effects of hot water blanching of the seeds on changes in the lipids of pearl millet during
storage

Storage period (days) LSD at 5%

0 5 10 15 20 30

Fat acidity (mg KOH/100 g meal)

Unblanched (control) 13.7 60.6 108.0 147.4 201.3 267.6 Blanching 0.772
Blanched at 98 ± 2 °C Storage period 1.020
10 sec 8.7 9.5 31.3 32.5 41.4 71.8 Interaction 1.770
20 sec 10.6 11.7 30.3 33.2 45.6 80.2
Acid value (rag KOH/g oil)
Unblanched (control) 1.7 8.2 11.5 18.3 23.0 32.0 Blanching 0.337
Blanched at 98 _+ 2 °C Storage period 0.477
10 sec 1.2 4.1 4.7 5.2 7.4 8.5 Interaction 0.827
20 sec 1.4 4.4 4.3 5.9 8.4 9.1
Free fatty acids (%)
Unblanched (control) 0.8 4.9 6.5 8.7 11.7 16.8 Blanching 0.146
Blanched at 98 i 2 °C Storage period 0.207
10 sec 0.6 2.1 2.1 2.7 3.1 4.1 Interaction 0.358
20 sec 0.7 3.1 2.2 2.4 3.6 4.6
Peroxidase value (meq/kg oil)
Unblanched (control) 1.7 0.4 6.0 3.7 2.7 2.1 Blanching 0.172
Blanched at 98 _+ 2 °C Storage period 0.243
10sec 7.1 3.0 4.9 4.8 3.1 2.3 Interaction 0.422
20 sec 5.9 4.9 3.8 3.6 2.8 2.6

References

1. Chavan JK, Kadam SS (1989) Nutritional improvement of cereals by sprouting. CRC Crit Rev
Food Sci Nutr 28: 401-437.
2. Kaced I, Hoseney RC, Varriano-Marston E (1984) Factors affecting rancidity in ground pearl
millet. Cereal Chem 61: 187-192.
3. Kachare DP, Chavan JK (1993) Effects of seed treatments on the changes in fat acidity of pearl
millet meal during storage. Indian J Agril Biochem (in press).
4. Varriano-Marston, E, Hoseney RC (t983) Barriers to increased utilization of pearl millet in
developing countries. Cereal Food World 28: 392-395.
5. Carnovale E, Quaglia GB (1973) Effects of storage at contrNled temperature and humidity on
the composition of milling products of millet. Ann Technol Agric 22:371 380.
6. Lai CC, Varriano-Marston E (1980) Changes in pearl millet during storage. Cereal Chem 57:
275-277.
7. Thiam AA, Drapron R, Richard-Molard D (1976) Causes d'alterations des farines de millet de
sorgh. Ann Technol Agric 25: 253.
8. Bookwalter GB, Lyle SA, Warner K (1987) Millet processing for improved stability and
nutritional quality without functionality changes. J Food Sci 52: 399-402.
9. Kapoor R, Kapoor AC (1990) Effect of different treatments on keeping quality of pearl millet
flour. Food Chem 35: 277-286.
10. Boora P. Kapoor AC (1985) Influence of storage on the protein quality of pearl millet flour.
J Sci Food Agric 36: 59-62.
 285

11. Dahiya S, Kapoor AC (1983) Effect of storage conditions on the protein quality of pearl millet
flour. Nutr Rep Intl 28: 1351-1359.
12. Abderlahman AA, Hoseney RC, Varriano-Marston E (1984) The proportions and chemical
compositions of hand-dissected anatomical parts of pearl millet. J Cereal Sci 2: 12-133.
13. AOAC (t980) Official methods of analysis, 13th edn. Washington, DC: Association of Official
Analytical Chemists.
14. Cox HE, Pearson P (1962) The chemical analysis of foods. New York, 421 pp.
15. Panse VG, Sukhatme PV (1957) Statistical methods for agricultural workers. New Delhi: IARI,
381 pp.