Effect of Processing Treatments Followed by Fermentation on Protein Content and Digestibility of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum typhoideum) Cultivars

Amro B. Hassan, Isam A. Mohamed Ahmed, Nuha M. Osman, Mohamed M. Eltayeb, Gammaa A. Osman and Elfadil E. Babiker

Two pearl millet cultivars namely Gadarif and Gazeera were used in this study. The effect of soaking, debranning, dry heating and germination of the grains before and after fermentation on protein content and digestibility was investigated. The effect of processing treatments on the protein content was fluctuated and varied between the cultivars. For both cultivars germination of the grains increased the protein content and digestibility (except course ground grains). For both cultivars fermentation of the germinated and course ground grains increased the protein content while fermentation of other treated grains fluctuated between the cultivars. The protein digestibility of the treated grains after fermentation was greatly improved. For both cultivars fermentation of the germinated grains gave higher protein digestibility (> 90%) compared to all other treatments.