Thank you again, Gary. You are correct that the vertical black characters on the packages identify the millets. (By the way, the English-language ingredient in all three is identical: "Processed millet.") For information here is what it says on all three packages: Left: 东北大黃米 (dōngběi dà huáng mǐ) = Northeast (China) "da huang mi" Center: 山西糯小米 (Shānxī nuò xiǎomǐ) = Shanxi waxy "xiaomi" Right: 山西小米 (Shānxī xiǎomǐ) = Shanxi "xiaomi" By the labels, yes, the right two should be the varieties of the same millet, even as the left two appear similar. * Da huang mi (big yellow "hulled grain") is proso, per my sources. * Xiaomi (small "hulled grain") is foxtail millet, again per my sources. However "xiaomi" seems to be also used more generically, perhaps as an influence from English "millet." (Caveat: My Chinese language knowledge is very limited.) * Shanxi is a province in northern China * Nuò, as is apparent, is the word for waxy / sticky / glutinous * Mǐ usually means (hulled) rice, but also has a wider meaning that I interpret as staple grain (again, without claiming any depth in the language) With this, I'll shift to replying to Dipak's response. Don DO, EL, MI, US NAMA On Sun, May 3, 2026 at 10:23 PM <gww374@gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks for details and more clues by including the Chinese writing of what I assume identifies the type of millet. Since the symbols are the same except the center has more one extra character, I now guess the center and right are the same type millet just different varieties.
The germ appears darker than proso that we eat, so I don’t think either is proso…..Gary
Sent from my iPhone
On May 3, 2026, at 9:04 AM, Don Osborn <don@milletsalliance.org> wrote:
Thanks, Gary, for your reply. I realize that I should have put something in this image to give the scale. The image is not that close up. Also, these are of millets packaged in the US under a Chinese label.
I apologize fot the third one being a bit out of focus. I took several images of three packages in a store on an iPhone camera (they're tolerant of me taking pictures of items), and had to work with the angle to avoid casting a shadow from the overhead lights, and minimize the reflection off the wrinkles in the cellophane packaging. A consequence is that the third package (with the smaller grains) was on the edge of focus - and I didn't realize it at the time.
Attached is the full photo, at 33% since the original is 6 mb (a bit large to dump in folks' inboxes). I can send the original offlist to you or anyone who might want to examine more closely. Btw, the previous composite image was made with sections from the 100% original.
DO, EL, MI, US NAMA
On Sat, May 2, 2026 at 5:21 PM Gary Wietgrefe <gww374@gmail.com> wrote:
Good quiz. I only have been eating proso and the germ is lighter color and hulled seed more round and whitish yellow. No samples are pearl or finger. My guess is that the left and center are two varieties of foxtail and the right (blurry sample) is smaller seed and likely little millet. Thanks for the opportunity....Gary Wietgrefe
On Sat, May 2, 2026 at 12:17 PM Don Osborn via Collab < collab@lists.millets2023.space> wrote:
Attached is an image with details from a photo of three different packages of millets. Can you identify the millets in the left, center, and right of the image?
Hint #1: There are only two species of millet involved.
Hint #2: One of those species is present in two distinct varieties. (You are not asked to make that distinction.)
I'll follow with another hint later, and then share the original photo and details.
Motive for this: I'd like to get some unbiased takes on their identity.
TIA,
Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance
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<3ChineseMillets-33pc.png> <3ChineseMillets-33pc.png>