International Science Community Association International Research Journal of Biological Sciences 2278 - 3202 2 1 2013 January 10 Structure and Nutritional Composition of Fonio (Digitaria exilis) Grains: A Review 73 79 EN CzerniejewskiPrzemyslaw 1 Dept. of Fisheries Management, Westpomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Krolewicza 4, PL–71–550 Szczecin, POLAND Dipartimento di Matematica, Universita' di Bari, via Orabona, 4, 70125 – Bari, ITALY DeGiosa Marcello 2 Wijayab 1 Department of Botany, University of Peradeniya, SRILANKA Postgraduate Institute of Science University of Peradeniya, SRILANKA araS.M.K. H. 2 JayasuriyaK.M.G.G. 3 Jayasinghe J.L.D.H.C. 4 SrikanthBabu V. 1 Department of physiotherapy, Windfield international College, KualaLumpur, MALAYSIA Department of Anatomy, MSU, kualaLumpur, MALAYSIA Srinivas M. 2 RavindraKumarB. 3 Jalaja Prakash 4 Meliani Nawel 1 Laboratoire des Substances Naturelles et Bioactives (LASNABIO) Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Tlemcen, ALGERIA DibMohammedEl Amine 2 AllaliHocine 3 Tabti Boufeldja 4 DayaNand Harit 1 Department of Zoology, Government Champhai College, Champhai, Mizoram-796 321, INDIA Meghwal Rajani 1 Department of Microbiology, M.D.S. University, Ajmer, Rajasthan, INDIA Department of Zoology, University College of Science, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, INDIA ShekhawatDeependra Singh 2 SoniNaveenKumar 3 Bhatnagar Chhaya 4 NagaGaneshBalne 1 Department of Biotechnology, DVR & HS MIC College of Technology, Kanchikacherla, AP, INDIA C.S.V. Ramach 2 ra Rao 3 Baba-Moussa F. 1 Adjanohoun A. 2 Anihouvi V.B. 3 Ahouandjnou H. 4 Sanni S. 5 Omansen T.F. 6 Kotchoni S.O. 7 Toukourou F. 8 Baba-Moussa L. 9 Nageshbabu R. 1 Post Graduate Department of Biochemistry, Maharani’s Science College for Women, Bangalore-560001, INDIA Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore -560012, INDIA Centre for Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biological Engineering, Shobhit University, Meerut, INDIA Department of Biochemistry, Central College Campus, Bangalore University, Bangalore -560001, INDIA Jyothi M.N. 2 Sharadamma N. 3 Sahu Sarika 4 RaiD.V. 5 Devaraj V.R. 6 MagdumSandip S. 1 Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida 201303, INDIA Ufele A.N. 1 Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra State, NIGERIA Nnajidenma U.P. 2 Ebenebe C.I. 3 Mogbo T.C. 4 AziagbaB.O. 5 Akunne C.E. 6 Ahirwar J.R. 1 Department of Botany, Govt. College Niwari, Distt. Tikamgarh, MP, INDIA H 1 Department of Botany, Shri Shivaji Science College Amravati 444603, MS, INDIA eD.V. 2 S.V. Hiwarale 3 Alonso-Calderon A. 1 Chavez-Bravo E. 2 Rivera Antonio 3 Montalvo-Paquini C. 4 Arroyo-Tapia R. 5 Monterrosas-Santamaria M. 6 Jimenez-SalgadoT. 7 Tapia-Hern 8 ez A. 9 Ballogou Vener 1 e Y. 2 SoumanouMohamed M. 3 ToukourouFatiou 4 HounhouiganJoseph D. 5 > Review Paper 2012 11 26 2013 January 10 Fonio is a traditional cereal which has often occupied a marginal position among the other cultures, in most of West African countries where it is cultivated, in spite of its cultural, nutritional and economic importance in many socio-cultural groups. Processing and utilization of fonio require adequate knowledge on its structural, chemical and nutritional characteristics which were the purpose of the present review. In this paper, the structure of fonio was reported and compared to the that of other major cereals, such as maize, rice, millet and sorghum. It seems that Fonio starch granules were like rice starches; hence some current applications of rice starch could be applied to that from fonio grains. The chemical and nutrient composition of D. exilis grain was also reviewed. The carbohydrates, protein, lipid, ash and fiber contents of fonio grains reported by various authors and also micronutrients mainly amino acids, fatty acids, minerals and vitamins were presented. Copyright@ International Science Community Association