Development and Quality Assessment of Poshakriti: A Gluten-Free, Multipurpose, Multigrain, Nutritional Flour

Background

Growing awareness of the health-nutrition interface and demand for convenient yet wholesome foods is rising. Traditional Indian diets, influenced by Ayurvedic principles, emphasize balanced combinations of cereals, pulses, and spices.

Objectives

Building on this knowledge, a novel gluten-free, millet-rich multigrain flour, Poshakriti, was developed to meet contemporary nutritional and lifestyle needs.

Materials and Methods

Poshakriti was formulated using selected cereals (rice, finger millet, sorghum), pulses (green gram, red lentil, soybean, moth bean), and spices (cumin, coriander, black pepper, dry ginger, cinnamon, fenugreek). Two batches-roasted and unroasted-were prepared. Standard AOAC methods were employed to evaluate proximate composition, mineral profile, dietary fibre, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, fatty acid composition, protein digestibility, glycemic index, gluten content, and microbial load. Accelerated stability testing of the roasted variant was conducted.

Results

Roasted flour demonstrated superior stability with lower moisture (8.4%) and acid value (0.2 mg NaOH/100 g). It exhibited high protein (18.04 g/100 g), dietary fibre (13.2 g/100 g), essential minerals (calcium, iron), and beneficial mono and poly unsaturated fatty acids. Functional attributes included enhanced protein digestibility (80%), significant antioxidant activity, high phenolic content (750 mg GAE/100 g), and low glycemic index (28). Both variants were completely gluten-free and microbiologically safe, outperforming the commercial flour in most parameters. The roasted variant remained stable throughout the nine-month study.

Conclusion

Poshakriti represents nutritionally superior, gluten-free, and versatile ready-to-cook flour. Its favorable nutritional and functional properties highlight its potential as a convenient functional food for promoting metabolic health and addressing contemporary nutritional challenges.