A Review on Diversity and Applications of Traditional and Modern Millet and Cereal- based Probiotic Beverages

Abstract

Background: Probiotic beverages based on cereal and millet are popular due to their numerous health benefits and as non-dairy alternative-suitability for lactose intolerant people. These beverages have probiotic strains like Lactobacillus and Streptococcus. Probiotic formulations may help prevent and manage cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity by enhancing antioxidant activity and reducing inflammation through improved bioavailability of phenolics and flavonoids. The study bridges the gap between traditional knowledge and modern in sight of probiotics drinks. It offers the insight on diversity of probiotics drinks and can guide researchers in developing sustainable plant based drinks. Methods: Several studies on cereal and millet based traditional and recent probiotic drink were extensively reviewed from different databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The key terms included were "cereal-based probiotic drinks," "millet-based probiotic beverages," and "fermentation techniques for probiotic beverages." for fermentation process, storage stability and viability of probiotic bacteria and sensory attributes. The review investigates various fermentation methods, formulation, the impact of different probiotic strains, and their effects on the nutritional and functional properties of these beverages. Results: Fermentation improved the nutritional profile of cereal and millet based beverages, increasing antioxidants, fiber, and protein content. Probiotic viability was maintained at high CFU levels (10⁶–10¹² CFU/ml) for 4–5 weeks under refrigeration. Sensory evaluations indicated high consumer acceptability, especially for fruit-flavoured variants. Conclusions: Cereal and millet-based probiotic drinks are promising functional beverages with significant health benefits and commercial potential. Future research should focus on optimizing fermentation techniques, extending shelf life, and diversifying product formulations to enhance consumer acceptance and scalability.