Globally, billions of people are experiencing food insecurity and malnutrition. The United Nations has set a global target to end hunger by 2030, but we are far from reaching it. Over the decade, climate change, population growth and economic slowdown have impacted food security. Many countries are facing the challenge of both undernutrition and over nutrition. Thus, there is a need to transform the food system to achieve food and nutrition security. One of the ways to reach closer to our goal is to provide an affordable healthy and nutritious diet to all. Millets, the nutri-cereals, have the potential to play a crucial role in the fight against food insecurity and malnutrition. Nutri-cereals are an abundant source of essential macro- and micronutrients, carbohydrates, protein, dietary fiber, lipids, and phytochemicals. The nutrient content and digestibility of millets are significantly influenced by the processing techniques. This review article highlights the nutritional characteristics and processing of Indian millets, viz. foxtail, kodo, proso, little, and pearl millets. It also envisages the effect of traditional and modern processing techniques on millet’s nutritional properties. An extensive literature review was conducted using the research and review articles related to processing techniques of millets such as fermentation, germination, dehulling, extrusion, cooking, puffing, popping, malting, milling, etc. Germination and fermentation showed a positive improvement in the overall nutritional characteristics of millets, whereas excessive dehulling, polishing, and milling resulted in reduction of the dietary fiber and micronutrients. Understanding the changes happening in the nutrient value of millets due to processing can help the food industry, researchers, and consumers select a suitable processing technique to optimize the nutrient value, increase the bioavailability of nutrients, and help combat food and nutrition security.

Diabetes and other metabolic disorders are increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. This study aims to formulate rice-based and wheat-based snack khakhra, a pan-baked snack, with macronutrient distribution for diabetics, as per the guidelines issued by the American Diabetes Association. Protein, fiber, and fat-rich ingredients are used to modulate the starch hydrolysis pattern with 50-52%, 28-32%, and 16-20% of energy from carbohydrate, fat, and protein, respectively. It is observed that upon nutrient enrichment, the estimated glycemic index reduces by 8.5% in wheat-based khakhra and 11% in rice-based khakhra. Significant changes (p < 0.05) are observed in viscosity, swelling power, solubility, and thermal properties of khakhra flours. Changes in FTIR spectra are also observed, particularly in rice based samples. The khakhra, thus, formulated shows good sensory acceptability in both qualitative descriptive analysis and consumer acceptability tests. These findings suggest that a simple modulation in macronutrient content can be an effective tool in developing a healthy snack at both the domestic and industrial levels.

Mutants of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens resistant to at least 10 micrograms/ml of tunicamycin were isolated and shown to be pleiotropic. The mutants were more resistant to streptomycin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin and neomycin than was the parent strain but less resistant to penicillin G and tetracycline. They were more autolytic, presumably due to an altered cell wall. The mutants produced reduced levels of amylase, penicillinase and both metal and serine protease besides having an enhanced sporulation frequency and being more motile.

The addition of starch or skim milk to bovine serum albumin‐containing regeneration medium enhances the regeneration of both Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and B. subtilis protoplasts. With B. amyloliquefaciens starch could replace bovine serum albumin; with B. subtilis either starch or skim milk could be used instead of bovine serum albumin. The maximum regeneration frequency achieved was 10% with B. amyloliquefaciens and 290% with B. subtilis.