Optimization and Shelf-life Study of Finger Millet-based Cookies Premix

Multigrain cookie premixes were developed using finger millet (Eleusine coracana) to provide a nutritious food option for vulnerable groups, especially preschool children facing micronutrient malnutrition. Three types of cookie premixes were formulated with varying proportions of grains and evaluated for sensory parameters using a 9-point hedonic scale. The best combination of calcium and iron-rich ingredient s was found to be finger millet flour, refined wheat flour, grain amaranth, garden cress seed, milk powder in the ratio of 40:25:20:5:10. This premix was also evaluated for nutritional composition and shelf life. The cookies made from this premix were rich in essential nutrients, with 319.8 mg of calcium and 8.89 mg of iron per 100 g. The sensory evaluation showed that all the premixes were well accepted (sensory score >7) and the selected premix remained acceptable over a storage period of 90 days.