Millet Grain Phenolics

Millet grains, long valued for their resilience and nutritional profile, have gained renewed attention for their abundant content of bioactive phytochemicals—particularly phenolic compounds. These secondary metabolites play a pivotal role in human health due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antidiabetic properties. This chapter provides a detailed examination of the classification of phenolics in various millet species, including phenolic acids (hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids), flavonoids (flavonols, flavones), tannins, and lignans. The presence and concentration of these compounds are influenced by genetic variation, agroclimatic factors, and postharvest processing methods. Advanced analytical techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectrophotometry are discussed with respect to their application in qualitative and quantitative profiling of millet phenolics. The chapter emphasizes the functional significance of these phenolic constituents in promoting human health and their potential role in reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disorders, cancer, and diabetes. Considering these findings, millets are presented as promising functional grains for developing health-oriented food products and therapeutic formulations.