Abstract
Cheka is a cereal and vegetable‐based beverage which is consumed in Southwestern parts of Ethiopia particularly in Dirashe and Konso. In this study, nine cheka samples were collected from vending houses in Konso and Dirashe districts for the laboratory analysis of the nutritional profile and chemical properties of cheka. The pH and titratable acidity of the samples ranged from 3.53–3.99 and 0.80%–1.11%, respectively. The total solids, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, total ash, carbohydrate, and gross energy contents of the samples ranged from 21.05%–26.87%, 3.12–4.44 g/100 g, 1.17–1.81 g/100 g, 0.94–1.27, 0.65–0.93 g/100 g, 14.16–19.03 g/100 g, and 82.04–107.17 Kcal, respectively. The dietary Ca, Fe, and Zn content of the samples were ranged from 8.31–19.60 mg/100 g, 13.94–27.59 mg/100 g and 0.82–1.07 mg/100 g, respectively. The methanol and ethanol contents of the cheka samples ranged from 163.1–2,380 ppm and 3.04%–8.96% v/v, respectively. The findings of this study indicated that cheka has low nutrient content and thus, suggests that people in Konso and Dirashe should not rely on it without eating solid foods as it is almost always diluted with a significant amount of water. In conclusion, the longer fermentation time of cheka resulted in high methanol levels that can present adverse health effects to consumers.
Highlights
Fermented beverages have been widely consumed since prehistoric times by people around the world and have formed a traditional part of the human diet (Rose, 1997).In spite of being produced via traditional fermentation, fermented beverages are extremely important in contributing to household nutrition security and in preserving important socio-cultural practices (FAO, 2012).Fermented foods and beverages are believed to have enhanced texture, digestibility, and shelf-life which is attributable to the production of desirable substances such as alcohol (Fellows, 2000; Kohajdova & Karovicova, 2007)
Cheka is a cereal and vegetable-based fermented beverages which is consumed in Southwestern parts of Ethiopia mainly in Dirashe and Konso
The pH and titratable acidity of the cheka samples ranged from 3.53–3.99 and 0.77%–1.11%, respectively (Table 1)
Summary
Fermented beverages have been widely consumed since prehistoric times by people around the world and have formed a traditional part of the human diet (Rose, 1997).In spite of being produced via traditional fermentation, fermented beverages are extremely important in contributing to household nutrition security and in preserving important socio-cultural practices (FAO, 2012). Fermented foods and beverages are believed to have enhanced texture, digestibility, and shelf-life which is attributable to the production of desirable substances such as alcohol (Fellows, 2000; Kohajdova & Karovicova, 2007). It is worthwhile to accurately quantify the amount of ethanol and methanol present in unrecorded beverages as they are more likely to be consumed in. | 2467 excess quantities due to their relatively low price compared to factory produced drinks. This will help in reducing health complications and in avoiding other social problems associated with alcohol abuse (Sarah & Mattew, 2012). Cheka is a cereal and vegetable-based fermented beverages which is consumed in Southwestern parts of Ethiopia mainly in Dirashe and Konso. This study was intended to (a) determine the nutritional content of cheka and (b) detect and quantify the alcoholic contents of cheka using a gas chromatographic technique
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