Improving Sorghum Injera Quality Using Germinated Cereal as Fermentation Starters

Abstract

Injera is a staple fermented food in Ethiopia. It can be prepared from mono or mixed cereals such as teff, sorghum, barley, millets, and others. Sorghum is actually, a common fair cost cereal for injera preparation. But the maximum consumption of sorghum-injera is mostly limited to the local producers and low-income individuals, due to less quality comparing to teff-injera. So, the main objective of this study was improving of sorghum injera quality using germinated cereal flours as starters. Sixteen percent of ungerminated barley, sorghum, and teff starters by weight of dough flour were used as control units; to formulate 8%, 12%, and 20% germinated mix starters from the three cereals each. The study was conducted by using a survey and practical experiment. Functional attributes of the flours and proximal contents of the prepared injeras were investigate using the AOAC official method, and NIR grain analyzer. Mineral-analysis, and sensory acceptability of the injeras were also evaluated using AAS assay, and seven-point hedonic scale methods, respectively. ANOVA and Tukey were applied to analyze all the obtained data. Result of (1.44 and 1.54 g/g); (1.53 and 1.62 g/g); and (1.53 and 1.61 g/g) were scored for OAC of the barley, sorghum, and teff flours at the ungerminated, and 20% germinated mix blending ratios. Values of (54.42 and 56.88%); (54.84 and 55.92%); and (56.96 and 58.28%) were also scored for the EC of the cereal-flours at ungerminated, and 20% germinated mix proportions. But (9.22 and 9.97%); (9.92 and 9.97%) and (9.81 and 10.01%) were scored for the BD of the cereal-flours for the respective proportions. Results of (9.22 and 9.97%); (9.92 and 9.97%); and (9.81 and 10.01%) for protein, and (1.57 and 1.84%); (1.48 and1.78%); and (1.66 and 1.79%) for fiber contents of the prepared injeras were also scored for the ungerminated, and 20% germinated mixes of barley, sorghum, and teff starter-injeras, respectively. Ca, Fe and Zn contents were increased in the teff starter-injeras; Ca and Zn contents also increased in the barley starter-injeras. But Zn content was increased in all the prepared injeras. All the prepared injeras were sensory accepted. Injeras prepared using; ungerminated teff, 12% germinated mix barley, and 20% germinated mix teff starters had the highest sensory acceptance of all the prepared injeras. Therefore, using of such germinated cereal starters could have a great probability to improve sorghum-injera qualities.