Assessment of Storage Stability of Brown Top Millet Treated with Gamma Irradiation

Department of Life Sciences, School of Bio-Science & Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida - 201306

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Abstract

Flour stability is largely influenced by microbial contamination, enzymatic activity, and the storage conditions. To address these issues, millet flour samples were gamma-irradiated at a previously optimized dose of 7.5 kGy to assess its shelf-life extension potential. Both irradiated and untreated samples were stored in two distinct conditions: at 25 °C (65% relative humidity) and at 37 °C (75% relative humidity) for three months. Throughout the storage period, samples were evaluated for moisture, free fatty acids (FFA), titratable acidity, color, peroxide value (PV), and microbial count. In this study, flour stored at 37°C (control) had a higher moisture content than the irradiated samples throughout the storage period. Titratable acidity, peroxide value, and free fatty acid levels of the control samples increased significantly (p<0.05) at 37°C. Hunter color parameters (L*, a*, and b*) exhibited varying trends for both control and irradiated samples. Gamma irradiation significantly reduced the initial microbial load and effectively inhibited microbial proliferation during storage. In conclusion, irradiated samples stored at lower temperatures exhibited superior microbial stability and shelf-life quality during 3 months of storage. Thus, irradiation represents a cost-effective and practical method for reducing post-harvest losses of millets.