Authors : V. Maheshwari; S. S. Vijayanchali; E. Sharma Valavan; A. Kavya

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 4 - April

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/4v52efr4

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/3n8aenhn

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26apr2389

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : The global food sector was undergoing a paradigm shift as customers gravitated towards vegan food options. The increasing demand for dairy-free alternatives has spurred innovation in the confectionery industry, particularly inchocolate production. This research focuses on the development of vegan chocolate using millet milk as a functional and nutritional alternative to traditional dairy milk. Millet milk is lactose-free, gluten-free, and environmentally friendly option that provides essential nutrients and vitamins that combat health. Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) was processed and spraydried to obtain millet milk powder and incorporated into chocolate formulations with addition of coconut butter and stevia as a natural sweetener. The study involved optimizing the ingredient in various proportions (V1, V2, V3) and evaluated for sensory analysis using 9-point hedonic scale with 50 semi-trained panel and accepted variation (V2) were subjected to further analysis of proximate composition, antioxidant activity, texture profile, SEM and microbial stability to assess its quality and shelf life. The Results indicated that millet milk effectively replaces dairy while contributing to the protein, mineral, and fiber content of the chocolate. Additionally, the use of stevia benefited a low-calorie, diabetic-friendly sweetening option without compromising taste. This innovation demonstrates the potential of millet milk in functional food development, contributing to sustainable food systems that align with health and lactose-intolerant consumer preferences.

Keywords : Vegan Chocolate, Millet Milk, Dairy Substitute.

References :

1. Appenheimer, L., Bertram, L., Lutzhöft, N., Pletz, V., Wulff, S., Veselaj, B., & Halecker, B. (2021). Vegan Food Innovations: Adoption Behavior in The European Chocolate Market. In ISPIM Conference Proceedings (pp. 1-20). The International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM).
2. Akanbi TO, Timilsena Y, Dhital S. Bioactives from millet: properties and effects of processing on bioavailability. In: Prasad D, Singh A, editors. Bioactive Factors and Processing Technology for Cereal Foods; c2019. p. 171-183.
3. Ahmad J, Khan I, Blundell R et al (2020) Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni.: an updated review of its health benefits, industrial applications, and safety. Trends Food Sci Technol 100:177–189. https://doi. org/10.1016/J.TIFS.2020.04.030.
4. Ballesteros, L. F., Teixeira, J. A., & Mussatto, S. I. (2020). Formulation and characterization of functional chocolate with antioxidant properties. Food Research International, 137, 109663. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109663.
5. Beegum, P. P. S.; Nair, J. P.; Manikantan, M. R.; Pandiselvam, R.; Shill, S.; Neenu, S.; Hebbar, K. B. Effect of Coconut Milk, Tender Coconut and Coconut Sugar on the Physico-Chemical and Sensory Attributes in Ice Cream. J. Food Sci. Technol. 2022, 59 (7), 2605− 2616.
6. Banerjee P, Maitra S, Banerjee P. The role of small millets as functional food to combat malnutrition in developing countries. Indian Journal of Natural Sciences, 2020;10(60):20412-20417.
7. Dedehayir, O., Riverola, C., Velasquez, S., and Smidt, M. (2019) Diffusion of vegan food ınnovations: a dual market perspective: Responsible consumption and production. Switzerland: Springer.
8. Divya, P. M., Roopa, B. S., Manusha, C., & Balannara, P. (2023). A concise review on oil extraction methods, nutritional and therapeutic role of coconut products. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 60(2), 441-452.
9. Das S, Khound R, Santra M, Santra DK. Beyond bird feed: proso millet for human health and environment. Agriculture. 2019;9(3):64.
10. Ditchfield C, Kushida MM, Mazalli MR, Sobral PJA. Can Chocolate Be Classified as an Ultra-Processed Food? A Short Review on Processing and Health Aspects to Help Answer This Question. Foods. 2023 Aug 16;12(16):3070. doi: 10.3390/foods12163070. PMID: 37628068; PMCID: PMC10453203.
11. De Melo, M. M. R., Moreira, R. S., & Silva, C. M. (2021). Influence of non-dairy fat sources on the rheology and texture of vegan chocolates. Journal of Food Engineering, 292, 110318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2020.110318.
12. Earle, M., and Hodson, G. (2017). What's your beef with vegetarians? Predicting anti-vegetarian prejudice from pro-beef attitudes across cultures. Personality and Individual Differences, 119, 52-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.06.034.
13. Garbarino S, Garbarino E, Lanteri P. Cyrcadian Rhythm, Mood, and Temporal Patterns of Eating Chocolate: A Scoping Review of Physiology, Findings, and Future Directions. Nutrients. 2022 Jul 28;14(15):3113. doi: 10.3390/nu14153113. PMID: 35956290; PMCID: PMC9370573.
14. Hossain MF, Islam MT, Islam MA, Akhtar S (2017) Cultivation and uses of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni): a review. Afr J Food Agric Nutr Dev 17:12745–12757. https://doi.org/10.4314/ajfand. v17i4.
15. Harries, H. C. The Evolution, Dissemination and Classification Of Cocos Nucifera L. Botanical Review 1978, 44 (3), 265−319.
16. AOAC : Official methods of Analysis . 18^th edition, association of officiating analytical chemists, Washington DC, method 935.14 and 992.24; 2005.
17. Lopes U.V. and Pires J. L., (2014). Botany and Production of Cocoa, Coffee and Cocoa Fermentations. London: CRC Press.
18. Mäkinen, O. E., Wanhalinna, V., Zannini, E. & Arendt, E. K. 2016. Foods for special dietary needs: Non-dairy plant-based milk substi tutes and fermented dairy-type products. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 56: 339-349.
19. Montagna MT, Diella G, Triggiano F, Caponio GR, De Giglio O, Caggiano G, Di Ciaula A, Portincasa P. Chocolate, "Food of the Gods": History, Science, and Human Health. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 6;16(24):4960. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244960. PMID: 31817669; PMCID: PMC6950163.
20. Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Iunternational Year of Millets (IYoM)- 2023. National Conference on Kharif Campaign2022 Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, 2022, 1-45. Retrieved from https://agricoop.nic.in/sites/default/files/Crops.pdf.
21. Nambiar. V.S, JJ Dhaduk, Neha Sareen, Tosha Shahu and Rujuta Desai. Potential Functional Implications of Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) in Health and Disease. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science 01 (10); 2011: 62-67.
22. Putnik P, Bezuk I, Barba FJ et al (2020) Sugar reduction: Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni as a natural sweetener. Agri-Food Ind Strat Healthy Diets Sustain. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12- 817226-1.00005-9.
23. Prashant Sagar and Neetu Singh, (2024), A Review on Its Characterization, Processing, Applications and Health Benefits of Pearl Millet Protein, J. Nutrition and Food Processing, 7(4); DOI:10.31579/2637-8914/184.
24. Poliński et al. (2022). Enrichment of chocolate with matcha and moringa: Effects on antioxidant activity. PMC.
25. Rehman, A., Pragya, P. R., & Arshad, N. Exploring the World of Vegan Chocolate: Ingredients, Processing, Nutrition, and Market Trends. Just Agriculture, 113-120.
26. Savaş, E., Bakan, R., & Kayaalp, B. Z. U. (2024). Determining consumer acceptability of vegan chocolate in terms of gastronomic sustainability.
27. Sorra S, Talukdar J, Gogoi G, Li H, Baishya D, Das B (2019) Coconut kernel extract as a novel chemopreventive agent that targets cancer stemness. Cancer Res 79(13):1614. https://doi.org/10. 1158/1538-7445.AM2019-1614.
28. Saini S, Saxena S, Samtiya M, Puniya M, Dhewa T. Potential of underutilized millets as Nutri-cereal: An overview. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2021;58(12):4465-4477.
29. Saleh AS, Zhang Q, Chen J, Shen Q. Millet grains: nutritional quality, processing, and potential health benefits. Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety. 2013;12(3):281-295.
30. Uçan Kayaalp, B.Z., Bakan, R., Metin, E. and Savaş, E. (2023). Küresel bir restoranda servis edilen bitki bazlı ve et bazlı burgerlerin tercih edilebilirliklerinin karşılaştırılması. GSI Dergileri Serie A: Turizm Rekreasyon ve Spor Bilimlerindeki Gelişmeler, 6 (1), 30-46. https://doi.org/10.53353/atrss.1194353.
31. Vishwaradhya M Biradar, Pavan Kumar, Dr. Yallappa M, Ramya CS, Dr. Prayasi Nayak, M Sekhar, Shanti Bhushan and Dr. Suresh Babu A sustainable nutricereal: A review on nutrient and bio-active composition and its potential health benefits of pearl millet .International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research 2024; SP-8(3): 30-35.
32. Vitrac C, Eyrans SMD, Vitrac X (2019) Coconut Shell Extracts, Compositions Containing Same and Uses. US patent- US 2019 / 0076350 A1.
33. Wan Z, Khubber S, Dwivedi M, Misra NN (2021) Strategies for lowering the added sugar in yogurts. Food Chem 344:128573. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.FOODCHEM.2020.128573.
34. Yingshuang Lu, Yan Zhang, and Shuo Wang From Palm to Plate: Unveiling the Potential of Coconut as a Plant Based Food Alternative Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2024 72 (27), 15058-15076 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.3c09838J.