Influence of selected organic acid concentration on the quality and shelf life of teff injera

The research focused on examining the addition of various organic acids and their concentrations on the shelf life and overall quality of injera, a traditional Ethiopian flatbread. In this study, the injera batter was prepared by the standard procedures, and the organic acids (acetic acid, citric acid, and lactic acid) at different concentrations (1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, and 3%) before baking. The baked/prepared injera quality and shelf life were determined according to the standard procedures. The analysis of the prepared injera revealed protein content ranging from 9.32% to 12.84%, crude fat from 0.40% to 2.04%, crude fiber between 1.03% and 7.64%, total ash within 1.27% to 2.16%, and carbohydrates spanning 73% to 80.64%. The energy content ranged from 350.66 to 372.31 kcal/100 g. The PH and Titrable acidity of injera range from 2.85–3.29 to 2.30–4.88 respectively. Furthermore, calcium content varied between 15.44 and 46.35 mg/100 g, iron from 30.75 to 75.89 mg/100 g, and zinc from 6.29 to 10.49 mg/100 g. Notably, Injera prepared with all concentrations of organic acids received positive sensory acceptance. However, Injera made with lactic acid stood out as the most preferred among the sensory evaluations. The study concludes that the utilization of 3% lactic acid is recommended for enhancing the shelf life of Injera while maintaining high sensory acceptability.