Millet
Millet suppliers and sourcing guide
Millet is a group of small-seeded cereal grasses grown for grain, chiefly proso millet (Panicum miliaceum), pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and finger millet (Eleusine coracana). The grain is cleaned and dehulled, then sold whole (hulled), as grits or flakes, puffed, or milled into flour. In the U.S. most food millet is proso; brands use it in cereals, breads, snacks, porridge mixes and gluten-free products.
- Category
- Food staples and powders
- Also known as
- Panicum miliaceum (proso millet) · Pennisetum glaucum (pearl millet) · Setaria italica (foxtail millet) · Eleusine coracana (finger millet)
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of millet
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Hulled whole millet
Dehulled grain for cooking, extrusion and bakery inclusions.
Millet flour
Milled from hulled grain, used in gluten-free blends and flatbreads.
Flakes and puffed
Rolled or puffed millet for cereals and snacks.
Species-specific grades
Proso, pearl, foxtail and finger millet differ in color, flavor and cooking behavior; specify the species.
Organic
Certified organic millet, widely offered.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Moisture
- Oven moisture for grain and flour.
- Purity and hulls
- Unhulled kernels, hull fragments, weed seeds and stones.
- Gluten
- Gluten by R5 ELISA when used in gluten-free products, since millet is often handled alongside wheat.
- Mycotoxins
- Aflatoxins and other mycotoxins by HPLC or validated rapid tests.
- Free fatty acids
- Free fatty acids or peroxide value for flour, which goes rancid quickly once milled.
- Microbiology
- Total plate count, yeast and mold, coliforms, E. coli and Salmonella; flour is a raw ingredient and should be cooked before eating.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Store whole hulled millet sealed in a cool, dry area with pest control in place. Millet flour turns rancid quickly once milled, so buy it in smaller lots, keep it cool and use it promptly. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification.
Lots and expiry dates
Color, size and flavor vary with species, variety and origin. Record species, origin and gluten test results for each lot, and rotate flour first-in, first-out.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 101.91 allows a "gluten-free" claim on a food that inherently does not contain gluten only when any unavoidable presence of gluten is below 20 ppm.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)FDA's 2013 gluten-free labeling final rule, discussing beers, names sorghum, millet, rice or buckwheat as examples of substitutes for malted barley.
Source: federalregister.gov (opens in a new tab)
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Millet suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking millet suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell millet? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of millet can brands buy?
Common forms include hulled whole millet, millet flour, flakes and puffed, species-specific grades and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for millet include?
Expect moisture, purity and hulls, gluten, mycotoxins, free fatty acids and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should millet be stored?
Store whole hulled millet sealed in a cool, dry area with pest control in place. Millet flour turns rancid quickly once milled, so buy it in smaller lots, keep it cool and use it promptly. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification.
What is the regulatory status of millet?
21 CFR 101.91 allows a "gluten-free" claim on a food that inherently does not contain gluten only when any unavoidable presence of gluten is below 20 ppm. FDA's 2013 gluten-free labeling final rule, discussing beers, names sorghum, millet, rice or buckwheat as examples of substitutes for malted barley.
More food staples and powders
- Cocoa powderCocoa · Cacao powder
- Chocolate liquorCocoa liquor · Cocoa mass
- Cocoa nibsCacao nibs · Cracked cocoa
- Roasted coffeeCoffea arabica · Coffea canephora
- Instant coffeeSoluble coffee · Instant coffee powder
- MatchaMatcha green tea powder · Powdered green tea
- Black teaCamellia sinensis · Thea sinensis
- Nonfat dry milkNFDM · Skim milk powder
- Whole milk powderDry whole milk · WMP
- Sweet whey powderDry sweet whey · Dried whey
- Buttermilk powderDry buttermilk · Dried sweet cream buttermilk
- Dried whole eggDried eggs · Whole egg powder
Sell ingredients to brands?
Request a free listing for the ingredients you make or distribute. No paid placement.