Reduction in phytic acid content and enhancement of antioxidant properties of nutricereals by processing for developing a fermented baby food.

Cereal blends containing pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and oat (Avena sativa) in different ratios were processed (roasted and germinated) and also used as unprocessed flours followed by fermentation with Lactobacillus sp. (Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum). They were screened for total phenolic content (TPC), phytic acid content (PAC) and free radical scavenging activity (FRSA). A formulation with the highest TPC, FRSA and the lowest PAC was selected to optimize a nutricereal based fermented baby food containing selected fermented cereal blends (FCB), rice-corn cooked flour (RCF), whole milk powder (WMP), whey protein concentrate (WPC) and sugar. The optimized baby food formulation contained 37.41 g 100 g(-1) FCB, 9.75 g 100 g(-1) RCF, 27.84 g 100 g(-1) WMP, 5 g 100 g(-1) WPC and 20 g 100 g(-1) sugar. It had high protein, vitamin, minerals, as well as good quantity of carbohydrates and fat, to fulfil the nutritional needs of preschool children of age 1-3 years. The nutricereal based fermented baby food showed high water absorption capacity, dispersibility, wettability and flowability indicating good reconstitution properties.