Abstract
Majority of the Ethiopian population are dependent on tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc) trotter) flour to make injera, a staple food in Ethiopia, although injera could be made from different cereals. The price of tef, however, is high and the yield potential of the crop is low. Thus, searching for alternative cheaper grains and developing a blend of different cereal flours that can produce injera of acceptable quality and improved nutritional value would be important. This study was conducted to evaluate the sensory quality of injera made from a blend of different cereals (Tef, barley, sorghum and maize) with differing ratios: 100, 75, 50 and 25%. The sensory evaluation of injera was conducted at Mekelle University in a replicated trial. The results revealed significant differences among the cereal flour blends in injera texture, mouth feeling, suppleness and overall rate, while colour, taste and the appearance of injera surface gas holes were non- significant. Injera made from 100% tef flour got the highest preference rank in terms of the texture, mouth feeling, suppleness and overall ratings. Injera made from 50:50 tef + barley blend was the second best in both texture and suppleness followed by 50:50 tef + sorghum, 50: 50 tef + maize blends and tef + barley + sorghum blend of equal ratio. Similarly, results from blend of tef + barley + maize, tef + sorgum + maize and from the four varietal blends in equal ratios produced very good injera quality. From the study results injera quality ranked next to sole tef (tef + barley, tef + sorghum, tef + maize in 50:50 blends and tef + barley + sorghum in equal ratios) could be used as an alternative option for injera utilization and could provide nutritional and dietary benefits to consumers.Keywords: Sensory attributes, Injera quality, cereal flour blends, Tef, Ethiopia.
Highlights
Agriculture is the main stay of the Ethiopian economy and accounts for 42% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 84% of the total exports and creates employment for 77% of the total population (ATA, 2015)
The study has shown significant differences among the different cereal flour blends in sensory quality attributes such as texture, mouth feeling, suppleness and overall rating, while the appearance of surface gas holes, color and taste of injera made from the different cereal flour blends were non- significant at p-value of 5% level
Injera made from a blend of tef + barley in 50:50 ratio was the second best comparable to tef in texture, mouth feeling and suppleness followed by tef + sorghum, tef + maize in 50:50 blend ratio, and tef + barley + sorghum (ABC) in 33% ratio each (Table 1)
Summary
Agriculture is the main stay of the Ethiopian economy and accounts for 42% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 84% of the total exports and creates employment for 77% of the total population (ATA, 2015). Injera could be made from fermented dough of different cereals such as tef, barley, sorghum, wheat and maize, injera from tef is still commonly preferred and daily consumed by majority of the people (Zegeye, 1997; Yetneberk et al, 2004) This is due to its softer texture, preferred taste and colour (Yetneberk et al, 2005; Abraha et al, 2013). The tef dominated food habit in the urban and rural areas should be changed to a diversified food system by adopting new methods of injera making such as using different ratio blends of cereals (tef, barley, sorghum and maize) where consumers could get benefit nutritionally as well as economically. The study was carried out to compare a set of different crop varieties (Tef, barley, sorghum and maize) in different combination for injera making quality; and analyze injera sensory quality and consumer acceptance in relation to blend rations of the different cereals
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