Abstract: In this study, we addressed the effects of different cooking methods (boiling and steaming at a millet to water ratio of 1:20 and 1:1.5 (g/mL), respectively) on the vitamin, total phenolics and total flavonoids contents and antioxidant activity of Fenghonggu millet grown in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia. Compared with untreated millet, boiling and steaming resulted in a significant decrease in VB1, VB2 and phytic acid (P < 0.05). Additionally, boiled millet maintained a higher level of VB1, while steamed millet retained more VB2 and phytic acid. Boiled millet, rich in vanillic acid and cinnamic acid, retained a 1.39-fold higher total phenolic content than its steamed counterpart. The antioxidant activity measured by 1,1-dipheny1-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging, 3-ethyl-benzothiazoline sulphonic acid-6)ammonium salt (ABTS) scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays was in the following order: raw millet > boiled millet > steamed millet. Therefore, boiling is a better way to cook millet.

Key words: millet, steaming, boiling, total phenolics, total flavonoids, antioxidant activity