Influence of fermentation duration and orange-fleshed sweet potato supplementation on the quality characteristics of white sorghum flour-based Enjera

This study investigated the effects of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) supplementation and fermentation duration on the nutritional, physicochemical, and sensory quality of white sorghum-based Enjera. A 3 × 3 factorial design was used with White Sorghum: OFSP blending ratios of 90:10, 80:20, and 70:30 and fermentation durations of 24, 48, and 72 h, using 100% white sorghum Enjera as the control. Proximate composition, mineral content, pH, β-carotene, and sensory properties were determined using standard analytical methods. OFSP supplementation significantly increased moisture, crude fiber, calcium, zinc, and β-carotene contents, whereas prolonged fermentation increased protein content and reduced fat, carbohydrate content, energy value, and pH ( p < 0.05). These findings demonstrate that optimizing OFSP supplementation and fermentation duration substantially improves the nutritional quality of sorghum-based Enjera while maintaining desirable sensory characteristics, highlighting its potential as a vitamin A-enriched functional food. Although Enjera containing 30% OFSP fermented for 72 h exhibited the highest nutritional quality, the formulation containing 20% OFSP fermented for 48 h is recommended for practical application because it provides the best balance between nutritional enhancement and consumer acceptability.