Effect of operating conditions of a solid-state fermenter on structural and pasting properties of finger millet flour as applied to bread quality

The effect of operating conditions such as bed thicknesses (0.075, 0.15, and 0.225 m) and air velocities (0.12, 0.24, and 0.36 m/s) of a solid-state fermenter on the structural, rheological, and pasting properties of finger millet during solid-state fermentation. Also, alpha-amylase activity of solid-state fermented flour was determined. Then, the breads were made from solid-state fermented finger millet flour to assess the suitability of solid-state fermented flour for bread making without adding the additives. The color and textural profiles of the bread were assessed. The results showed that the structural and pasting properties of solid-state fermented finger millet got modified due to bioconversion during fermentation. However, the color values and textural characteristics of bread made from solid-state fermented finger millet were not up to acceptable level. The study concluded that the operating conditions of solid-state fermenter affected the bioconversion. Practical application Despite the phytochemicals and glycemic value, finger millet flour cannot be used as such for baking without adding additives as it has low dough functional characters. So, the functionalization of finger millet can be improved by solid-state fermentation. The changes in structural characters, rheological, and pasting characters depend on the operating conditions of solid-state fermenter. So, for better bioconversion of finger millet and scale up of solid-state fermentation process, the knowledge about effect of operating conditions on modification of finger millet properties is required.