Finger millet extract powder as a sustainable route to enhanced fermentation and functional quality in cereal food

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana), a climate-resilient cereal, offers a sustainable substrate for fermented foods. This study investigates the use of finger millet extract (FME) powder as a value-addition strategy in batter fermentation. Finger millet–black gram and FME powder with black gram blends were naturally fermented separately for 12 hours at a ratio of 3 : 1. In order to comprehend the impact of FME incorporation on fermentation performance and product quality, the study compared the physicochemical, biochemical, microbiological, and rheological characteristics of fermented finger millet (FM) batter with those of FME batter. FME incorporation hastened fermentation, reflected by steeper drops in bulk density (0.92 to 0.52 g cm⁻³), pH (pH 6.62 ± 0.01 to 4.07 ± 0.03), and higher titratable acidity (0.12 ± 0.02 to 0.58 ± 0.01%). Enhanced biopolymer rearrangement was confirmed through FTIR, while GC-MS profiling revealed enhanced formation of bioactive and volatile metabolites. Throughout fermentation, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) continued to be dominant, facilitating effective acidification. Dynamic rheological measurements indicated improved structural development and gas retention, yielding batter with enhanced sensory quality after 8 hours of fermentation. Overall, the integration of FME into batter formulation substantially improved fermentation efficiency and nutritional functionality, providing a sustainable technological route for enhancing the functional base for fermented cereal foods.