Eggs chips prepared by using different millet flours as binders and changes in product quality during storage

Whole liquid egg was homogenized and mixed with optimized quantities of refined wheat flour, rice flour, corn starch, spices, salt and millet flour, viz., pearl millet (Pennisetum vulgare), barley (Hordeum vulgare), or sorghum (Sorghum vulgare). The dough was flattened in to 2–3 mm thick sheet, cut in to 2.5 × 3 cm strips and fried in refined sunflower oil to obtain ready-to-eat egg chips. The cooled chips were packed in metalised polyester bags, sealed with air or nitrogen-gas, and stored at ambient temperature (27 ± 2 °C) for 4 months. Inclusion of barley flour caused lowest fat content (14.9%) and water activity (aw = 0.38). Decrease in pH (6.3–6.5 to 5.6–6.0), crispiness (11.3–15.4 to 7.8–13.1 N), sensory quality scores (6.8–8.8 to 5.2–7.9) and increase in aw (0.38–0.46 to 0.44–0.55), free fatty acids (FFA) (0.17–0.32 to 0.83–1.76 as % oleic), thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values (0.62–0.75 to 1.46–2.13 mg malonaldehyde/kg) were noticed in fried egg chips during storage at 27 ± 2 °C. Hunter colour values were marginally affected. Low standard plate counts (1.7–2.9 log cfu/g) and spore counts (1.2–1.6 log cfu/g) and absence of yeasts and moulds, colifoms, staphylococci and enterococci throughout the storage period ensured the microbiological safety of egg chips. All the products were sensorily acceptable during storage up to 4 months and barley egg chips, however, were judged superior by the panelists compared to chips containing pearl millet or sorghum flours.