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Video of Zoom talk about proso millet grain standards
by Don Osborn 20 Dec '24

20 Dec '24

The video of Gary Wietgrefe's presentation on Thursday 19 Dec., entitled "NAMA Proso Millet Grain Standards Review," is available to view at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVS9c7Doq1o DO, EL, MI, US NAMA

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"Grading Proso Millet for All Markets"(video)
by Don Osborn 17 Dec '24

17 Dec '24

In the run up to Thursday's (12/19) Zoom meeting on the proposed proso grain standards, you may be interested to view Gary's short (~4 min.) video entitled "Grading Proso Millet for All Markets." It's at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lquS2H3XC5Y . This is not the same as the coming presentation, but explains some of the whats and whys about the proposed standards. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Proso Millet Grain Standards - 12/19
by Don Osborn 17 Dec '24

17 Dec '24

Gary Wietgrefe has, in consultation with other experts and with reference to other documentation, put together a draft for Proso Millet Grain Standards for the US (attached). There is currently no such set of standards in the US (or in Canada). We are scheduling a webinar on Thursday, Dec. 19 in which he will present this important work, what went into it, and the hopes for its impact on the proso millet market. More information forthcoming. The webinar will be a chance to share comments on the proposal. You are welcome to share this with other experts in your respective networks. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Tortillas made with millets
by Don Osborn 08 Dec '24

08 Dec '24

Millets don't exactly spring to mind when tortillas are mentioned, but it's really no surprise that some people have been working at least one millet into their recipes. Here are a few examples: * Camilla Saulsbury, on the Powerhungry website, combines millet flour (presumably proso millet) & flaxseed meal (image, below left) https://www.powerhungry.com/2022/08/30/easy-millet-flax-tortillas/ * Anthony William, on the Medical Medium website, has a recipe using only millet flour (again, presumably proso millet; image, below right) https://www.medicalmedium.com/blog/millet-tortillas * The FAO website has a tortilla (and filling) recipe by Alessandro Vitale (aka "Spicy Moustache") using presumably proso millet. This was presented for the #IYM2023, and includes a video https://www.fao.org/millets-2023/recipe-book/recipe-detail/millet-tortillas… * Jeff Gelski. writing for Sosland Publishing's Baking Business discussed different grains including millet (proso) and sorghum in "Ensuring a successful gluten-free tortilla formulation." Several experts were quoted. (The Old El Paso product pictured in the article does not contain any millets, however.) https://www.bakingbusiness.com/articles/62515-ensuring-a-successful-gluten-… * Carla Spacher, on her website, has a sorghum tortilla recipe, which she also terms a "jowar roti recipe" https://glutenfreerecipebox.com/gluten-free-sorghum-tortillas-recipe/ * Finally, Hector Williams-Alanís, in a 2002 academic book chapter "Sorghum and Millet in Mexico" noted experiments making tortillas with sorghum and "minor millet" (possibly proso, but foxtail millet was also mentioned elsewhere). This article was summarized in a posting on this list 2 years ago https://lists.millets2023.space/pipermail/collab/2022-December/000117.html Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Re: [Collab] Collab Digest, Vol 35, Issue 1
by gww374＠gmail.com 07 Dec '24

07 Dec '24

Users of the various millets certainly know if hull has to be removed before cooking and eating. Sorghum and pearl don’t have a hull like proso. Regarding finger millet, the only times I had it was visiting our orphan’s family compound and similar ones in northern Uganda. It was served as the staple at every meal (with cassava and greens). Someone more capable in botany and more artistic than me would be needed to give detailed descriptions of millets’ seed coats, but it would be helpful promoting millets in North America…..Gary Sent from my iPhone > On Dec 2, 2024, at 11:15 AM, collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space wrote: > > Send Collab mailing list submissions to > collab(a)lists.millets2023.space > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space > > You can reach the person managing the list at > collab-owner(a)lists.millets2023.space > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Collab digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Three items on pearl millet (Don Osborn) > 2. Processing of grains of millets (Re: Collab Digest, Vol 34, > Issue 13) (Don Osborn) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 2 Dec 2024 12:46:45 -0500 > From: Don Osborn <don(a)milletsalliance.org> > To: collab(a)lists.millets2023.space > Subject: [Collab] Three items on pearl millet > Message-ID: > <CA+RHibWpt+2zK5O6KGebaBGaO=KDFHRk8KSqihfj3NC2cgbXiQ(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Three recent items on pearl millet to share, including a special magazine > section & two significant edited volumes: > > 1. "Pearl Millet: The Cereal of the Future?: A New Book and Crop Science > Special Section Highlights the Grain," by Tess Joosse, CSA News, 16 Oct. > 2024 https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/csan.21408 > > 2. Ramasamy Perumal, P.V. Vara Prasad, c. Tara Satyavathi, Mahalingam > Govindaraj, and Abdou Tenkouano (editors), *Pearl Millet: A Resilient > Cereal Crop for Food, Nutrition, and Climate Security*, Wiley, 2024 > https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Pearl+Millet%3A+A+Resilient+Cereal+Crop+for+Foo… > Description: "*Pearl millet*, a warm-season, dryland cereal crop, is a > staple food for over 90 million people in Africa and Asia. Its nutritional > superiority relative to other cereal crops, such as rice, wheat, maize, and > sorghum, and its hardiness and adaptability to harsh environments and poor > soils make it a potentially life-saving resource for poor populations > and/or areas hit by damaging climatic conditions. With climate change > Placing an ever-greater strain on global agrifood systems, pearl millet has > never been a more important crop in the fight against poverty, hunger, and > malnutrition. > > "*Pearl Millet* offers a thorough introduction to this potentially vital > grain. Coming on the heels of a 2023 United Nations declaration of the > ?International Year of Millets,? it is a crucial intervention in an > essential humanitarian project. It is the first comprehensive book on the > subject to appear in print. > > "Key Features: > * Analysis of a potential lead crop for climate-change-affected areas > * Detailed coverage of all pearl millet?s unique features, such as inherent > genetic diversity, gluten free applications, and suitability for double > cropping > * An author team with vast research and crop development experience > > "*Pearl Millet* is ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, > certified and practicing professionals, as well as industry and academic > researchers." > > 3. Vilas A. Tonapi, Nepolean Thirunavukkarasu, SK Gupta, Prakash I > Gangashetty, and OP Yadav (editors), *Pearl Millet in the 21st Century: > Food-Nutrition-Climate resilience-Improved livelihoods*, Springer Nature, > Singapore, 2024. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-99-5890-0 > > "This book documents the global pearl millet research for achieving the > sustainable development goals in the eve of the International Year of > Millets in 2023 by FAO. This book offers perspectives on the recent > advances in the field of genomics, next-generation breeding approaches, > hybrid development, crop production and protection technologies of pearl > millets. Pearl millet is the world?s most important millet grown in the > hot, semi-arid ecologies of Asia and Africa with versatile end uses. Of all > the world?s cereals, pearl millet ranks the sixth most important crop after > rice, wheat, maize, barley and sorghum. In the changing climatic condition, > it can be pitched as a strategic crop for food and nutritional security > owing to its ability to survive in harsh ecologies and the higher > micro-nutrients grain content. This book focuses on nutritional importance, > climate resilience, seed systems, value-addition and market policies to > enhance the genetic gain of pearl millets under marginal and favorable > ecologies, and way forward for a food and nutrition secure world. It is a > useful reading material for researchers and professionals working on small > grains, millets and their cultivation and nutrition related aspects." > > The two books appear to be projects prompted by the IYM2023, but in any > event, they offer a wealth of information about research on pearl millet, > and hopefully will boost further work with this crop. > > > Don Osborn, PhD > (East Lansing, MI, US - +1 202-621-3911) > North American Millets Alliance >

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Re: [Collab] Collab Digest, Vol 34, Issue 13
by Gary Wietgrefe 02 Dec '24

02 Dec '24

Processing to remove the pericarp (hull) of millets and sorghum vary depending on the type, seed size, and even variety of millet or sorghum. For example, proso has a loose or detached pericarp that removes quite easily compared to sorghum with an attached pericarp and is similar to wheat. Some varieties of proso are easier to hull mechanically than others. Also, hulling equipment must be set based on seed size because foxtail millets have 220,000 t0 240,000 seeds per pound, proso about 80,000 seeds/pound, and sorghum seed can range from 9,000 to 22,000 seeds per pound. Obviously, seed coat removal of the husk, hull, bran, pericarp, mesocarp, testa, palea, lemma, and etcetera outside the endosperm of each seed type varies. On proso, we simply call it "hulling" or "dehulling" which is the same. Whereas the S. Shobana, et al. article states "dehusking" and "debranning" as quoted: "Results: *Debranning* resulted in decrease in protein (except for little and barnyard millets), dietary fibre, fat, mineral and phytate content in all the millets while enhanced available carbohydrates and amylose content. The cooking times for *dehusked* millets were significantly higher ...." These articles (including the last from Easterly, Jones-Diamond, Dryland Genetics) tie into some of my 2005 private testing on U.of Nebraska's (then) newly released glutinous (waxy/sticky) variety Plateau vs. common white proso. Our research proximate analysis showed hull removal decreased ash, and fiber, while increasing protein, fat, and starch of Plateau and regular white proso. To me it made sense. Proso's hull is fibrous and holds field-residue dust and when removed increases the endosperm protein and starch and germ fat percentage.....Gary Wietgrefe On Mon, Nov 25, 2024 at 5:00 AM <collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space> wrote: > Send Collab mailing list submissions to > collab(a)lists.millets2023.space > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space > > You can reach the person managing the list at > collab-owner(a)lists.millets2023.space > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Collab digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Two articles on processing of millets (Don Osborn) > 2. Article on the 2024 sorghum harvest in the US (Don Osborn) > 3. UNL-CSU proso millet testing in 2nd year (Don Osborn) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 24 Nov 2024 22:21:48 -0500 > From: Don Osborn <don(a)milletsalliance.org> > To: collab(a)lists.millets2023.space > Subject: [Collab] Two articles on processing of millets > Message-ID: > < > CA+RHibVD4htW0csx_ZXKNYAe8+Pn-AX0Fu5geVuLW-BuOiM3qA(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Two items to share related to millets processing: > > 1. Jayasree Joshi, Sivaranjani Shanmuga Kumar, Rahul Kumar Rout, and > Pavuluri Srinivasa Rao, 2025, "*Millet processing: prospects for > climate-smart agriculture and transition from food security to nutritional > security*," Journal of Future Foods, 5(5): 470-479. > https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfutfo.2024.08.004 > (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772566924000582) > Abstract: Millets, which are small-seeded grains, are classified under the > Poaceae family and are known for their high nutritive content. Millets are > a viable option for the global population in light of growing concerns > about climate change due to their exceptional tolerance to a variety of > abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, light, and heat. They have > short growing periods and can be sustained in adverse weather conditions > with less irrigation requirements. They encompass morpho-physiological, > molecular, and biochemical characteristics that confer superior resilience > to environmental stress. The millet grains have the potential to contribute > to health and nutrition, rural employment, household incomes, rural and > national economies, and sustainable environmental management. They are a > rich source of both macro and micro nutrients. They contain a significant > amount of bioactive substances, along with minerals such as iron, calcium, > phosphorus, and zinc. Millets need to be processed for consumption and > preparation to improve its nutritional and sensory properties. The major > challenge in millet processing is due to the lack of proper processing > machineries, presence of antinutritional factors and the poor shelf life of > the flour due to high lipase activity. This limitation can be mitigated by > using the appropriate processing methods. This article gives an insight > into millet processing and value addition and its role in ensuring > nutritional security through climate-smart agriculture. > Keywords: Millets; Climate resilient crops; Smart agriculture; Food > security; Value addition > > (Thanks to Hikmet Boyacioglu for posting this on LinkedIn. NB- The year in > the citation is indeed 2025. One surprise for me was the discussion of > electrical pulses as part of processing.) > > > 2. Shobana, S., Mohanraj, K., Malleshi, N.G. et al. "Impact of debranning > on the nutritional, cooking, microstructural characteristics of five Indian > small millets." Discover Food 4, 136 (2024). > https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-024-00209-1 > Abstract: > Background: Millets are underutilized grains rich in nutrients. This study > aimed to investigate the impact of debranning on the nutritional, cooking, > and microstructural properties of five Indian millets namely foxtail, > little, kodo, barnyard, and proso millet. > > Methods: The proximate composition, mineral content, cooking properties > (cooking time, solid loss, water uptake, alkali score), Fourier Transform > Infra Red (FTIR) spectra, X ray Diffraction (XRD) and microstructural > characteristics (Scanning Electron Microscopy) of dehusked and debranned > millet samples were examined and analysed. > > Results: Debranning resulted in decrease in protein (except for little and > barnyard millets), dietary fibre, fat, mineral and phytate content in all > the millets while enhanced available carbohydrates and amylose content. The > cooking times for dehusked millets were significantly higher while the > solid loss and water uptake during cooking of debranned millets were > higher. On debranning, Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) spectra showed > changes in the pattern with increase in the intensity of amide II (1363 to > 1367 cm?1) and amide III (1215 to 1231 cm?1) bands in the debranned > foxtail, little, and kodo millets. The X-ray diffractogram (XRD) showed > decrease in relative crystallinity on debranning. Scanning Electron > Microscopic (SEM) examination revealed that debranning resulted in the loss > of seed coat, aleurone layer and partial loss of germ in the millets. > > Conclusion: Dehusked millets are nutritious and should be promoted in > Indian diets to improve diet quality, debranned millets are nutritionally > inferior, can increase the glycemic load of Indian diets. > > (This is a topic I've personally wondered about. In some approaches to > processing are we losing some of the benefits of millets that we are > touting?) > > > Don Osborn, PhD > (East Lansing, MI, US) > North American Millets Alliance >

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Three items on pearl millet
by Don Osborn 02 Dec '24

02 Dec '24

Three recent items on pearl millet to share, including a special magazine section & two significant edited volumes: 1. "Pearl Millet: The Cereal of the Future?: A New Book and Crop Science Special Section Highlights the Grain," by Tess Joosse, CSA News, 16 Oct. 2024 https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/csan.21408 2. Ramasamy Perumal, P.V. Vara Prasad, c. Tara Satyavathi, Mahalingam Govindaraj, and Abdou Tenkouano (editors), *Pearl Millet: A Resilient Cereal Crop for Food, Nutrition, and Climate Security*, Wiley, 2024 https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Pearl+Millet%3A+A+Resilient+Cereal+Crop+for+Foo… Description: "*Pearl millet*, a warm-season, dryland cereal crop, is a staple food for over 90 million people in Africa and Asia. Its nutritional superiority relative to other cereal crops, such as rice, wheat, maize, and sorghum, and its hardiness and adaptability to harsh environments and poor soils make it a potentially life-saving resource for poor populations and/or areas hit by damaging climatic conditions. With climate change Placing an ever-greater strain on global agrifood systems, pearl millet has never been a more important crop in the fight against poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. "*Pearl Millet* offers a thorough introduction to this potentially vital grain. Coming on the heels of a 2023 United Nations declaration of the “International Year of Millets,” it is a crucial intervention in an essential humanitarian project. It is the first comprehensive book on the subject to appear in print. "Key Features: * Analysis of a potential lead crop for climate-change-affected areas * Detailed coverage of all pearl millet’s unique features, such as inherent genetic diversity, gluten free applications, and suitability for double cropping * An author team with vast research and crop development experience "*Pearl Millet* is ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, certified and practicing professionals, as well as industry and academic researchers." 3. Vilas A. Tonapi, Nepolean Thirunavukkarasu, SK Gupta, Prakash I Gangashetty, and OP Yadav (editors), *Pearl Millet in the 21st Century: Food-Nutrition-Climate resilience-Improved livelihoods*, Springer Nature, Singapore, 2024. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-99-5890-0 "This book documents the global pearl millet research for achieving the sustainable development goals in the eve of the International Year of Millets in 2023 by FAO. This book offers perspectives on the recent advances in the field of genomics, next-generation breeding approaches, hybrid development, crop production and protection technologies of pearl millets. Pearl millet is the world’s most important millet grown in the hot, semi-arid ecologies of Asia and Africa with versatile end uses. Of all the world’s cereals, pearl millet ranks the sixth most important crop after rice, wheat, maize, barley and sorghum. In the changing climatic condition, it can be pitched as a strategic crop for food and nutritional security owing to its ability to survive in harsh ecologies and the higher micro-nutrients grain content. This book focuses on nutritional importance, climate resilience, seed systems, value-addition and market policies to enhance the genetic gain of pearl millets under marginal and favorable ecologies, and way forward for a food and nutrition secure world. It is a useful reading material for researchers and professionals working on small grains, millets and their cultivation and nutrition related aspects." The two books appear to be projects prompted by the IYM2023, but in any event, they offer a wealth of information about research on pearl millet, and hopefully will boost further work with this crop. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US - +1 202-621-3911) North American Millets Alliance

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Two articles on processing of millets
by Don Osborn 25 Nov '24

25 Nov '24

Two items to share related to millets processing: 1. Jayasree Joshi, Sivaranjani Shanmuga Kumar, Rahul Kumar Rout, and Pavuluri Srinivasa Rao, 2025, "*Millet processing: prospects for climate-smart agriculture and transition from food security to nutritional security*," Journal of Future Foods, 5(5): 470-479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfutfo.2024.08.004 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772566924000582) Abstract: Millets, which are small-seeded grains, are classified under the Poaceae family and are known for their high nutritive content. Millets are a viable option for the global population in light of growing concerns about climate change due to their exceptional tolerance to a variety of abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, light, and heat. They have short growing periods and can be sustained in adverse weather conditions with less irrigation requirements. They encompass morpho-physiological, molecular, and biochemical characteristics that confer superior resilience to environmental stress. The millet grains have the potential to contribute to health and nutrition, rural employment, household incomes, rural and national economies, and sustainable environmental management. They are a rich source of both macro and micro nutrients. They contain a significant amount of bioactive substances, along with minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphorus, and zinc. Millets need to be processed for consumption and preparation to improve its nutritional and sensory properties. The major challenge in millet processing is due to the lack of proper processing machineries, presence of antinutritional factors and the poor shelf life of the flour due to high lipase activity. This limitation can be mitigated by using the appropriate processing methods. This article gives an insight into millet processing and value addition and its role in ensuring nutritional security through climate-smart agriculture. Keywords: Millets; Climate resilient crops; Smart agriculture; Food security; Value addition (Thanks to Hikmet Boyacioglu for posting this on LinkedIn. NB- The year in the citation is indeed 2025. One surprise for me was the discussion of electrical pulses as part of processing.) 2. Shobana, S., Mohanraj, K., Malleshi, N.G. et al. "Impact of debranning on the nutritional, cooking, microstructural characteristics of five Indian small millets." Discover Food 4, 136 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-024-00209-1 Abstract: Background: Millets are underutilized grains rich in nutrients. This study aimed to investigate the impact of debranning on the nutritional, cooking, and microstructural properties of five Indian millets namely foxtail, little, kodo, barnyard, and proso millet. Methods: The proximate composition, mineral content, cooking properties (cooking time, solid loss, water uptake, alkali score), Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) spectra, X ray Diffraction (XRD) and microstructural characteristics (Scanning Electron Microscopy) of dehusked and debranned millet samples were examined and analysed. Results: Debranning resulted in decrease in protein (except for little and barnyard millets), dietary fibre, fat, mineral and phytate content in all the millets while enhanced available carbohydrates and amylose content. The cooking times for dehusked millets were significantly higher while the solid loss and water uptake during cooking of debranned millets were higher. On debranning, Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) spectra showed changes in the pattern with increase in the intensity of amide II (1363 to 1367 cm−1) and amide III (1215 to 1231 cm−1) bands in the debranned foxtail, little, and kodo millets. The X-ray diffractogram (XRD) showed decrease in relative crystallinity on debranning. Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) examination revealed that debranning resulted in the loss of seed coat, aleurone layer and partial loss of germ in the millets. Conclusion: Dehusked millets are nutritious and should be promoted in Indian diets to improve diet quality, debranned millets are nutritionally inferior, can increase the glycemic load of Indian diets. (This is a topic I've personally wondered about. In some approaches to processing are we losing some of the benefits of millets that we are touting?) Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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UNL-CSU proso millet testing in 2nd year
by Don Osborn 24 Nov '24

24 Nov '24

Numerous varieties of proso millet are being evaluated by researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Colorado State University in a joint effort. An update entitled "Cooperative Proso Millet Testing in Second Year" is presented by Amanda Easterly (Research Asst. Prof. at UNL) and Sally Jones-Diamond (Dir., Crops Testing Prog., CSU) on UNL's Cropwatch site (6 Nov. 2024) https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2024/cooperative-proso-millet-testing-second-year "Together with CSU Crops Testing, the UNL Crops Testing Team just wrapped up its second year of cooperative variety testing, aimed at providing growers and breeders with multi-location and multi-year yield and quality estimates. In this initiative, proso millet varieties that have been in use for decades, such as Earlybird and Huntsman, are tested against newer commercially available varieties such as Plateau and DLG 240. Also included are experimental varieties developed by UNL Alternative Crops Breeder [Prof.] Dipak Santra and the company Dryland Genetics, whose breeder Santosh Rajput, PhD. is a UNL graduate." Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Article on the 2024 sorghum harvest in the US
by Don Osborn 24 Nov '24

24 Nov '24

Farm Progress featured a positive report on the 2024 US grain hashtag#sorghum crop, after concerns about drought earlier in the year. "Southwest sorghum rated good to excellent," by Ron Smith & Shelley E. Huguley (Farm Progress, 14 Oct. 2024) https://www.farmprogress.com/sorghum/southwest-sorghum-rated-good-to-excell… The article quotes Brent Bean of the United Sorghum Checkoff Program as saying: "Overall, the grain sorghum crop is good; in some places, it’s excellent." Dr. Bean also discussed some management issues and new initiatives. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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