Scholarlink

<p>Microgreens are increasingly recognized as designer foods due to their nutrient density and short production cycle. However, scientific evidence on millet microgreens remains limited. This study evaluated the growth characteristics, optimal harvest stage, proximate composition, bioactive compounds, antinutritional factors and mineral profiles of six millet microgreens, proso (PrM), foxtail (FM), little (LM), barnyard (BM), kodo (KM), and pearl millet (PeM), grown under controlled conditions (16&#xa0;h light/8&#xa0;h dark cycle at 25 ± 3&#xa0;°C). Optimal harvest was standardized at 7th day for PrM, FM, BM, and KM, and the 10th day for PeM and LM based on physiological and morphological indicators, including attainment of first expanded cotyledons, maximum bioactive compound and chlorophyll accumulation. Proximate analysis revealed appreciable dietary fiber (6.48 –11.67&#xa0;g/100&#xa0;g), ash (0.71–1.46&#xa0;g/100&#xa0;g) and low-fat content (0.22–0.45&#xa0;g/100&#xa0;g). KM showed the highest carbohydrate (8.92&#xa0;g/100&#xa0;g), FM the highest protein (1.42&#xa0;g/100&#xa0;g), and LM the highest total chlorophyll (96.29&#xa0;mg/100&#xa0;g FW) concentration, indicating crop specific nutritional advantages. All microgreens were rich in phenolics (50.82–118.5&#xa0;mg GAE/100&#xa0;g), flavonoids (11.8–161.72&#xa0;mg RE/100&#xa0;g) and vitamin C (54.87–155.42&#xa0;mg/100&#xa0;g FW), which contributed to high antioxidant activity (71.3% and 90.1%), with PeM exhibiting superior radical scavenging potential. Although antinutritional factors such as phytic acid, tannins and oxalates were detected, their levels declined substantially during germination. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed distinct mineral accumulation pattern among species, with PCA explaining 78.4% of total variance with PC1 (64.3%) and PC2 (14.1%). Hierarchical cluster further grouped the microgreens into three distinct clusters reflected the species-specific mineral accumulation pattern. These findings highlight millet microgreens as nutri-dense, functionally valuable and sustainable food resources with significant potential for dietary diversity and nutritional security.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Nutrient density and functional attributes of millet microgreens: a multivariate approach

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月28日

查看全文
  • Geethanjali Sadayandi,
  • Manoharan Akilan,
  • Hemavathi Manivannan,
  • Paramasiwam Jeyaprakash,
  • Jayadevi Karthikeyan,
  • Radha Myilsamy,
  • Mayilvaganan Muthu,
  • Suresh Kumar Paramasivam,
  • Vanniarajan Chockalingam,
  • UmaMaheswari Thiyagamoorthy

摘要

Microgreens are increasingly recognized as designer foods due to their nutrient density and short production cycle. However, scientific evidence on millet microgreens remains limited. This study evaluated the growth characteristics, optimal harvest stage, proximate composition, bioactive compounds, antinutritional factors and mineral profiles of six millet microgreens, proso (PrM), foxtail (FM), little (LM), barnyard (BM), kodo (KM), and pearl millet (PeM), grown under controlled conditions (16 h light/8 h dark cycle at 25 ± 3 °C). Optimal harvest was standardized at 7th day for PrM, FM, BM, and KM, and the 10th day for PeM and LM based on physiological and morphological indicators, including attainment of first expanded cotyledons, maximum bioactive compound and chlorophyll accumulation. Proximate analysis revealed appreciable dietary fiber (6.48 –11.67 g/100 g), ash (0.71–1.46 g/100 g) and low-fat content (0.22–0.45 g/100 g). KM showed the highest carbohydrate (8.92 g/100 g), FM the highest protein (1.42 g/100 g), and LM the highest total chlorophyll (96.29 mg/100 g FW) concentration, indicating crop specific nutritional advantages. All microgreens were rich in phenolics (50.82–118.5 mg GAE/100 g), flavonoids (11.8–161.72 mg RE/100 g) and vitamin C (54.87–155.42 mg/100 g FW), which contributed to high antioxidant activity (71.3% and 90.1%), with PeM exhibiting superior radical scavenging potential. Although antinutritional factors such as phytic acid, tannins and oxalates were detected, their levels declined substantially during germination. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed distinct mineral accumulation pattern among species, with PCA explaining 78.4% of total variance with PC1 (64.3%) and PC2 (14.1%). Hierarchical cluster further grouped the microgreens into three distinct clusters reflected the species-specific mineral accumulation pattern. These findings highlight millet microgreens as nutri-dense, functionally valuable and sustainable food resources with significant potential for dietary diversity and nutritional security.

Graphical abstract