Pearl Millet | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), commonly known as bajra in India, is a drought-tolerant whole-grain cereal widely cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions of Asia and Africa. It is consumed as flatbreads (rotis), porridges, and flour-based products, and is nutritionally valued for its high content of iron, zinc, magnesium, and unsaturated fatty acids.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Pearl millet is broadly recognised as safe for the general population and carries no formal Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), as it is a whole-food cereal grain rather than a food additive. Its primary nutritional limitation is the presence of anti-nutritional factors—phytic acid, polyphenols, and tannins—that significantly reduce the bioaccessibility of iron and zinc; processing techniques such as soaking, fermentation, or milling substantially mitigate this effect. Ergot contamination of bajra crops is a documented food-safety hazard capable of causing human poisoning, and regulatory standards (FSSAI) mandate that marketed grain be free of ergot, moulds, and living insects.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Regulated under FSSAI Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, Chapter 2.4 (Cereals and Cereal Products), clause for 'Whole and decorticated pearl millet grains (Bajra)' — scientific names Pennisetum glaucum, Pennisetum americanum, Pennisetum typhoideum. Quality standards: moisture ≤13% by mass (whole and dehulled), extraneous matter ≤1% by mass (mineral matter ≤0.25%, animal-origin impurities ≤0.10%), other edible grains ≤2%. Grain must be free from added colouring matter, moulds, weevils, ergot, abnormal flavours, and obnoxious substances. Classified under food category 06 — Cereals and Cereal Products (sub-categories 06.1/06.2) per FoSCoS licensing framework. Version 1 effective 01 September 2023.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Ibd — The high phytic acid, tannin, and polyphenol content of pearl millet markedly reduces bioaccessibility of iron and zinc; individuals with IBD who already face impaired micronutrient absorption should ensure grains are properly processed (soaked, fermented, or milled) to minimise further mineral depletion.

Infants — Unprocessed bajra flour has significant anti-nutritional factor loads (phytate, tannins) that can compromise iron and zinc absorption in infants with high micronutrient needs; WHO and FAO guidance recommends fermentation or other processing before use in infant complementary foods.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1other. Sorghum and Millets in Human Nutrition – FAO Food and Nutrition Series No. 27. fao.org
2PubMed. Poisoning by ergoty bajra (pearl millet) in man. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 – Chapter 2.4: Cereals and Cereal Products (Version 1, 01.09.2023), 2023. fssai.gov.in
4PubMed. A Review of the Potential Consequences of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) for Diabetes Mellitus and Other Biomedical Applications, 2022. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5PubMed. Pearl Millet: A Climate-Resilient Nutricereal for Mitigating Hidden Hunger and Provide Nutritional Security, 2021. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6PubMed. Pearl millet minerals: effect of processing on bioaccessibility, 2018. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched6 citations