Novel synbiotic fermented finger millet-based yoghurt-like beverage: Nutritional, physicochemical, and sensory characterization

[Display omitted] •L. plantarum and W. confusa -promising starter co-culture for the cereal industry.•In-situ EPS: a suitable alternative to hydrocolloids, increasing apparent viscosity.•Fermentation of finger millet increased overall nutritional value of native flour.•Novel synbiotic product with globally well-appreciable sensory properties. This study presents the nutritional, physicochemical, and sensory characterization of a functional fermented African finger millet-based beverage, using a co-culture containing an exopolysaccharide-producer strain and a probiotic strain. First, the fermentation factors affecting the beverage were studied to ascertain required starter culture and cereal matrix which would support its production. Co-culturing Weissella confusa 2LABPT05 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v in finger millet showed the best fermentative performance. The fermented yoghurt-like beverage contained both strains above 108 CFU/mL and showed improved nutritional and physicochemical profiles, compared to the unfermented control: higher content in threonine, arginine, GABA and glutamine, increased protein digestibility, 25 % vs 64 %, a significant production of dextran, 0 % vs 16 %, and increased apparent viscosity, 12 mPa.s vs 35 mPa.s. The developed functional prototype is innovative, organoleptically acceptable, with high nutritional quality, and promising potential for targeting international markets and different population groups from children to the elderly.