Development of grain-based carbonated beverage premix using maize (Zea Mays), Bengal gram (Cicer Arietinum), and finger millet (Eleusine Coracana).

A grain based carbonated beverage premix with adequate nutritional composition and fizzing effect in the form of dry powder has been developed in the current study. Maize and Bengal gram were roasted at temperature 160-180 °C while finger millet at 80-120 °C for 10-30 min. The optimized conditions for the roasting of maize, Bengal gram and finger millet were 180 °C for 10 min, 180 °C for 27 min and 110 °C for 30 min, respectively using face centred composite design and response surface methodology (RSM). The formulation of the beverage premix obtained using linear programming was in the proportion of 30 g, 30 g, 10 g, 20 g and 10 g of roasted maize, Bengal gram, finger millet flours, sugar (powdered) and pea protein isolate, respectively. The effect of carbonation was found to be best with 8% carbonation powder concentration and 1:4 beverage premix to water ratio which showed an overall acceptability of 7.7. The developed carbonated beverage premix was light in color with a positive L* value of 79.01 ± 0.12 and slightly acidic with a pH of 5.56 ± 0.10. The nutritional composition of the final product comprised of 16% protein and several minerals viz. Fe (11.67 mg/100 g), Ca (36.67 mg/100 g) and Mg (86.26 mg/100 g). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-021-05175-5. © Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India) 2021.