Biological utilisation of pearl millet flour fermented with yeasts and lactobacilli.

Mixed culture fermentation of pearl millet flour with Saccharomyces diastaticus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus brevis and Lactobacillus fermentum brought about an improvement in its biological utilisation in rats. Protein efficiency ratio, feed efficiency ratio, apparent protein digestibility, true protein digestibility, net protein utilisation, net protein retention, protein retention efficiency and utilisable protein values in case of pure culture fermented pearl millet four were higher than the control. Feeding of the fermented products did not bring about physiological, histopathological and haematological changes in rats. Chapaties and cutlets prepared from the fermented products were organoleptically acceptable.