Losses of nutrients such as starch, lipids, proteins, iron and zinc as well as phytase activity and of recognised anti-nutritional compounds (some insoluble fibres, iron-binding phenolic compounds and phytates) were determined following abrasive decortication of grains from two pearl millet cultivars (Gampela and IKMP-5) with different composition cultivated in Burkina Faso. In both cultivars, abrasion of the starchy endosperm started when about 12% of the dry matter had been removed from grains but lipid and protein losses followed the loss of dry matter