EFFECT OF PROCESSING METHODS OF FENUGREEK SEED AND BLENDING RATIO WITH SORGHUM ON THE NUTRITIONAL AND SENSORY QUALITY OF SORGHUM INJERA

Abstract

Sorghum plays a very important role in human nutrition especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. Sorghum has the added advantage of being inherently gluten-free and has been demonstrated to be safe for people with celiac disease. Injera is fermented, leavened, flat and round pancake-like Ethiopian traditional bread made from cereals such as teff and sorghum, with teff preferred for the best quality injera. Because sorghum is less expensive in Ethiopia, there is great interest in improving the quality of sorghum injera through processing, cultivar selection and addition of other spices. This research aimed to enrich nutritional content, especially mineral and fiber, physico chemical and sensory qualities of sorghum injera. The experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of blending ratios (5, 10 and 15%) and processing methods of fenugreeks seed such as germination, roasting and raw seeds on the physico chemical and sensory acceptability of sorghum injera. It was carried out in factorial arrangement of two variables (blending ration and processing methods) at three levels each in a completely randomized experimental design with three replications. Blending ratio fenugreek seed powder had significant (P<0.05) effect on ash (1.82-2.04%), protein ( 19.24-19.79%),crude fat (2.41-3.60%), crude fiber (0.55-0.75%), carbohydrate (67.41-69.45), iron (8.72-10.31 mg/100g), calcium (29.35-32.59mg/100g) and zinc (7.97-8.60mg/100g) content of sorghum injera but it had no significant (P>0.05) effect on moisture content. In addition blending ratio had significant (P<0.05) effect on total phenol (3111-3455mg/100g), phytic acid (261.76-298.74mg/100g), PH (4.63-4.89), yeast and mould colony count (6.56-6.79 CFU/gm) of sorghum injera. More over blending ratio had significant (P<0.05) effect on WSI (197.56-203.69%) and WAC (195.99-203.97%) of sorghum fenugreek composite flour. Processing methods had significant (P<0.05) effect on fiber (0.53-0.57%), iron (8.37-9.23mg/100g), calcium (28.66-29.45mg/100g), zinc (7.32-8.74mg/100g) ,PH(4.72-4.95) and phytic acid (251.22-274.69mg/100g) content of sorghum injera. Both blending ratio and processing methods had significant effect on all sensory attribute including on over all acceptability.