Rheological, physical, and sensory evaluation of finger millet-based instant idli premixes: Optimizing rice substitution for enhanced nutrition and consumer acceptability
Main Article Content
Keywords
idli; finger millet; free gluten; rheological properties; sensory attributes
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the rheological, physical, and sensory properties of instant idli premixes formulated with finger millet (30–70%), as a partial or full substitute for rice. The attractiveness and convenience of pre-prepared foods led the food industry to reformulate traditional, time-consuming foods into modern, ready-to-cook options. Rheological assessments revealed that incorporating finger millet significantly improved water absorption (up to 65.5%) and accelerated starch gelatinization, with the onset temperature recorded at 71.0°C for the 60% millet blend. Optimal dough stability (17.6–18.3 min) and extensibility (1638 mm) were observed at 50% millet inclusion, contributing to a soft, well-aerated texture. In contrast, higher substitution levels (70%) impaired structural integrity and increased dough resistance, indicating reduced viscoelastic performance. Physical analysis demonstrated consistent batter viscosity (~2500 cP) across formulations, while color metrics (ΔE*: 14.9–17.5) showed only minor shifts. Organoleptic properties confirmed high consumer acceptability of idlis containing 50–60% finger millet, as assessed in terms of softness, flavor, and appearance. These results highlight the potential of finger millet as a valuable, gluten-free ingredient for improving the nutritional profile of idlis without sacrificing their texture or flavor.
References
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Joshi, N.D., Mohapatra, D. and Joshi, D.C., 2014. Varietal selection of some indica rice for production of puffed rice. Food and Bioprocess Technology. 7(1): 299–305. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-013-1056-1
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Panigrahi, C., Basavaraj, M.G. and Deshpande, A.P., 2025. Influence of various parameters on flow behaviour of instantly-leavened cereal-legume batters. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 186: 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-025-06307-x
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Raja, V., Moses, J.A. and Anandharamakrishnan, C., 2023. Effect of 3D printing conditions and post-printing fermentation on pearl millet fortified idli. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 103(5): 2401–2412. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.12410
Rani, M., Amane, D. and Ananthanarayan, L., 2019. Impact of partial replacement of rice with other selected cereals on idli batter fermentation and idli characteristics. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 56(3): 1192–1201. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-019-03582-3
Ronda, F., Pérez-Quirce, S. and Villanueva, M., 2017. Rheological properties of gluten-free bread doughs: Relationship with bread quality. In Ahmed, J., Ptaszek, P., Basu, S., editors. Advances in food rheology and its applications. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing. pp. 297–334. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-823983-4.00010-8
Sidique, B., Wang, A., Wu, L. and Ahmad, I., 2024. Effect of millet flour addition on dough rheology, chapati quality, and moisture distribution. Food and Humanity. 2: 100249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foohum.2024.100249
Siroha, A.K. and Bangar, S.P., 2024. Millet-based food products: An overview. Current Food Science and Technology Reports. 2(2): 213–220.
Susmitha, T., Bagchi, T.B., Deb, B.S., Biswas, T., Adak, T., Banerjee, H., et al. 2022. Evaluation of colour, texture and nutritional properties of pigmented rice-based fermented steamed food–Idli. Food Chemistry Advances. 1(1): 100021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.focha.2022.100021
Upadhyay, R. and Mehra, A., 2017. Studies on rheology of rice cake batter along with texture and microstructure properties of steamed rice cakes. EC Nutrition. 8: 263–271.
Xiao, J., Li, Y., Niu, L., Chen, R., Tang, J., Tong, Z., et al. 2023. Effect of adding fermented proso millet bran dietary fiber on micro-structural, physicochemical, and digestive properties of gluten-free proso millet-based dough and cake. Foods. 12(15): 2964. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12152964
Yadav, G.P., Dalbhagat, C.G. and Mishra, H.N., 2022. Effects of extrusion process parameters on cooking characteristics and physicochemical, textural, thermal, pasting, microstructure, and nutritional properties of millet‐based extruded products: A review. Journal of Food Process Engineering. 45(1): e14106. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfpe.14106
Zhang, J., Liu, Y., Wang, P., Zhao, Y., Zhu, Y. and Xiao, X., 2025. The effect of protein–starch interaction on the structure and properties of starch, and its application in flour products. Foods. 14(5): 778. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14050778
Zhao, J., Chang, B., Wen, J., Fu, Y., Luo, Y., Wang, J., et al. 2025. Fabrication of soy protein isolate-konjac glucomannan emulsion gels to mimic the texture, rheological behavior and in vitro digestion of pork fat. Food Chemistry. 468(4): 142462. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.142462
Zhu, F., 2014. Structure, physicochemical properties, and uses of millet starch. Food Research International. 64: 200–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2014.06.026
Bhasin, A., Maibam, B.D. and Sharma, M., 2024. Review on finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.): Nutritional composition, modification, its effect on physicochemical, structural, functional properties, and its applications. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 135: 106623. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2024.106623
Chelliah, R., Ramakrishnan, S.R., Premkumar, D. and Antony, U., 2017. Accelerated fermentation of Idli batter using Eleusine coracana and Pennisetum glaucum. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 54: 2626–2637. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-017-2621-9
Della Valle, G., Dufour, M., Hugon, F., Chiron, H., Saulnier, L. and Kansou, K., 2022. Rheology of wheat flour dough at mixing. Current Opinion in Food Science. 47: 100873. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cofs.2022.100873
Dey, D., Singh, G., Ishwarya, P. and Mateen, A., 2024. Functionality and extrusion processing of millets—A review. Food Reviews International. 40(10): 3605–3633. https://doi.org/10.1080/87559129.2024.2367643
Heena, Kumar, N., Singh, R., Upadhyay, A. and Giri, B.S., 2024. Application and functional properties of millet starch: Wet milling extraction process and different modification approaches. Heliyon. 10(3): e25330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25330
Joshi, N.D., Mohapatra, D. and Joshi, D.C., 2014. Varietal selection of some indica rice for production of puffed rice. Food and Bioprocess Technology. 7(1): 299–305. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-013-1056-1
Kamble, D.B., Singh, R., Rani, S., Upadhyay, A., Kaur, B.P., Kumar, N., et al. 2021. Evaluation of structural, chemical and digestibility properties of multigrain pasta. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 58(3): 1014–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-020-04616-x
Karnat, S.R., Sarma, M. and Somashekar, D., 2024. Study of changes in functional properties of fermented Idli batter during storage under different temperature conditions. Food and Humanity. 3(2): 100377. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foohum.2024.100377
Karunanithi, S., Guha, P. and Srivastav, P.P., 2024. Innovation in Idli batter preservation through betel leaf essential oil-based nanoemulsion: Evaluating fermentation kinetics and physicochemical analysis. Food Chemistry Advances. 5: 100805. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.focha.2024.100805
Longvah, T., Ananthan, R., Bhaskarachary, K. and Venkaiah, K., 2017. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. Hyderabad, India: National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research.
McCormick, K. and Salcedo, J., 2017. SPSS Statistics for data analysis and visualization. Chicago: John Wiley and Sons.
Mudau, M., Ramashia, S.E., Mashau, M.E., 2022. Mineral content, functional, thermo-pasting, and microstructural properties of spontaneously fermented finger millet flours. Foods. 11(16): 2474. . https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11162474
Nagaraja, T., Parveen, S.G., Aruna, C., Hariprasanna, K., Singh, S., Singh, A.K., et al. 2024. Millets and pseudocereals: A treasure for climate resilient agriculture ensuring food and nutrition security. Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding. 84(01): 1–37. https://doi.org/10.31742/ISGPB.84.1.1
Nandha, M.C. and Shukla, R.M., 2023. Exploration of probiotic attributes in lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented Theobroma cacao L. fruit using in vitro techniques. Frontiers in Microbiology. 14: 1274636. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1274636
Panigrahi, C., Basavaraj, M.G. and Deshpande, A.P., 2025. Influence of various parameters on flow behaviour of instantly-leavened cereal-legume batters. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 186: 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-025-06307-x
Patil, V.V., Pardeshi, I.L., Swami, S.B., Waikar, G.A. and Ranveer, R.C., 2024. Development of sattu and idli premixes from puffed finger millet. International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research. 8(11): 1004–1008. https://doi.org/10.33545/26174693.2024.v8.i11m.3006
Raja, V., Moses, J.A. and Anandharamakrishnan, C., 2023. Effect of 3D printing conditions and post-printing fermentation on pearl millet fortified idli. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 103(5): 2401–2412. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.12410
Rani, M., Amane, D. and Ananthanarayan, L., 2019. Impact of partial replacement of rice with other selected cereals on idli batter fermentation and idli characteristics. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 56(3): 1192–1201. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-019-03582-3
Ronda, F., Pérez-Quirce, S. and Villanueva, M., 2017. Rheological properties of gluten-free bread doughs: Relationship with bread quality. In Ahmed, J., Ptaszek, P., Basu, S., editors. Advances in food rheology and its applications. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing. pp. 297–334. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-823983-4.00010-8
Sidique, B., Wang, A., Wu, L. and Ahmad, I., 2024. Effect of millet flour addition on dough rheology, chapati quality, and moisture distribution. Food and Humanity. 2: 100249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foohum.2024.100249
Siroha, A.K. and Bangar, S.P., 2024. Millet-based food products: An overview. Current Food Science and Technology Reports. 2(2): 213–220.
Susmitha, T., Bagchi, T.B., Deb, B.S., Biswas, T., Adak, T., Banerjee, H., et al. 2022. Evaluation of colour, texture and nutritional properties of pigmented rice-based fermented steamed food–Idli. Food Chemistry Advances. 1(1): 100021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.focha.2022.100021
Upadhyay, R. and Mehra, A., 2017. Studies on rheology of rice cake batter along with texture and microstructure properties of steamed rice cakes. EC Nutrition. 8: 263–271.
Xiao, J., Li, Y., Niu, L., Chen, R., Tang, J., Tong, Z., et al. 2023. Effect of adding fermented proso millet bran dietary fiber on micro-structural, physicochemical, and digestive properties of gluten-free proso millet-based dough and cake. Foods. 12(15): 2964. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12152964
Yadav, G.P., Dalbhagat, C.G. and Mishra, H.N., 2022. Effects of extrusion process parameters on cooking characteristics and physicochemical, textural, thermal, pasting, microstructure, and nutritional properties of millet‐based extruded products: A review. Journal of Food Process Engineering. 45(1): e14106. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfpe.14106
Zhang, J., Liu, Y., Wang, P., Zhao, Y., Zhu, Y. and Xiao, X., 2025. The effect of protein–starch interaction on the structure and properties of starch, and its application in flour products. Foods. 14(5): 778. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14050778
Zhao, J., Chang, B., Wen, J., Fu, Y., Luo, Y., Wang, J., et al. 2025. Fabrication of soy protein isolate-konjac glucomannan emulsion gels to mimic the texture, rheological behavior and in vitro digestion of pork fat. Food Chemistry. 468(4): 142462. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.142462
Zhu, F., 2014. Structure, physicochemical properties, and uses of millet starch. Food Research International. 64: 200–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2014.06.026
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May 2, 2026
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Kahar, G. S., Sawant, A. A. ., Gosavi, R., Kalse, S. B. ., Kad, V. P., Shelke, G. N., Saddeek, S., Sami, R., Alqahtani, N. K., Almaski, A., Almughamisi, M., Almasoudi, A. G., Helal, M., & Morsy, M. K. (2026). Rheological, physical, and sensory evaluation of finger millet-based instant idli premixes: Optimizing rice substitution for enhanced nutrition and consumer acceptability. Italian Journal of Food Science, 38(2), 180–193. https://doi.org/10.15586/ijfs.v38i2.3347
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How to Cite
Kahar, G. S., Sawant, A. A. ., Gosavi, R., Kalse, S. B. ., Kad, V. P., Shelke, G. N., Saddeek, S., Sami, R., Alqahtani, N. K., Almaski, A., Almughamisi, M., Almasoudi, A. G., Helal, M., & Morsy, M. K. (2026). Rheological, physical, and sensory evaluation of finger millet-based instant idli premixes: Optimizing rice substitution for enhanced nutrition and consumer acceptability. Italian Journal of Food Science, 38(2), 180–193. https://doi.org/10.15586/ijfs.v38i2.3347