Use of Natural Food Colorants in Kurkufa Food: An Assessment of Nutritional and Sensory Quality in Southern Ethiopia

Staple foods are more common in Africa. Because diversity of nations, Ethiopia is Africa's leading producers of food and highly regarded for cooking traditional foods. In the southern part of Ethiopia, kurkufa food is highly consumed. Sufficient consumption of nutrients, particularly protein and micronutrients, promotes healthy growth in children and reduces their vulnerability to illness. Wheat and maize are essential raw materials for its preparation. It is utilized to supplement a substantial daily energy intake. Kurkufa is important source of macro- and micronutrients, and is a great source of vitamins, proteins, and a variety of carbohydrates and little is known about the nutritional value of Ethiopian Kurkufa foods. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the nutritional makeup and sensory quality of food in southern Ethiopia by using natural food coloring. The Arba Minch Agricultural Research Institute and Bishoftu Agriculture Research Center provided the maize and wheat varieties, while the Burji Soyama markets provided the habesha gomen, chills, tomatoes, and kidney beans. Using the AOAC method, nutritional and sensorial analysis was performed, Kurkufa's composition was found to be between 41.01 - 41.22 moisture content, 12.23 - 12.5 total ash, 4.33 - 4.53 crude fat, 25.21 - 25.61 crude protein, 3.03 - 3.19 crude fiber, 15.95 - 16.64 carbohydrate, and 203.48 - 208.87 kal/100 g energy. Fe, Zn, K, and Ca had respective ranges of 10.90-11.80 mg/100 g, 8.73-9.25 mg/100 g, 147.82-148.12, and 73.58-72.55 mg/100 g in terms of mineral content. The sensory evaluations were within the recognized ranges. The majority of the values fell between FAO, WHO, and EPHI. A noteworthy distinction (P<0.5) was noted between them. Therefore, it is best for people of all ages to consume Kurkufa foods. Furthermore, it is better to eat Kurkufa food because of its high nutritional, sensory quality and microbial determination also needed.