Importance and possibilities of proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) production for human nutrition, and animal feed in Slovenia.

摘要

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) was a very important cereal in the past on the territory of Slovenia used for human nutrition and animal feed. At the end of the 19th century it was sown on 16,000 hectares of fields. Later in the 20th century the scope of millet production and its nutritional importance has been declining from decade to decade. Statistical data for the production of millet in the year 2010 show that millet was sown on less than 200 ha of fields, meaning that it is practically no longer produced on Slovene farms. This also limits the possibility of knowledge transfer between generations of farmers passing the knowledge of agro-technical characteristics and best production practices from one generation to another. From the survey questionnaires completed by 180 potential producers (organic farmers) and 100 potential consumers (patients and medical staff in the general practice at the Community health care centre) we could discover that the possibilities for the reintroduction of millet and increased production in the future first depend on the demand for its products and popularity of millet dishes. From all best known ethnic dishes that have been cooked in Slovenia in the past, millet milk porridge was the best known dish among the participants in our survey; a lot of them knew and remembered it from the works of our poets and writers rather than from their eating experience. With lectures, workshops, presentations and degustation of millet dishes we should try and show the consumers the connection and possible links between the tradition and a new healthy life style that would protect our bodies against obesity (fibre intake) and tiredness (antioxidants). An increased production of millet could also be justified by increasing importance of locally produced food, the price of millet that makes it accessible also for people with lower income, Slovene food self-sufficiency and safety and the fact that millet is also a very good food for patient with celiac disease who cannot eat foods with gluten.