Small-scale microwave cooking-based procedure for evaluation of injera-making quality of sorghum genotypes

Background and ObjectivesEvaluation of the injera-making quality of sorghum and teff genotypes is problematic because of the large quantity of grain required to make injera using the conventional full-scale method. This study evaluated a small-scale microwave cooking-based injera making procedure. Eight lines expressing waxy and high protein digestibility traits and three normal-type sorghums were used. Freshly prepared and stored injeras were evaluated using instrumental texture analysis. FindingsThe stress and strain data of fresh and stored injeras from the microwave procedure significantly (p < .01) correlated with those from the full-scale method: Stress: fresh injera (r = 0.725), 2-days stored (r = 0.741), 4-days stored (r = 0.852); Strain: fresh injera (r = 1.000), 2-days stored (r = 1.000), 4-days stored (r = 0.999). ConclusionsThe small-scale microwave procedure uses much less grain and correlates with the full-scale method. Significance and NoveltyThe small-scale microwave procedure should enable screening of considerably larger numbers of genotypes for injera-making quality.

Automated summary

This study evaluated a small-scale microwave cooking-based method for making injera and found that the data on the texture of the injera from the microwave method correlated significantly with those from the full-scale method. The small-scale microwave procedure could be used to screen a larger number of genotypes for their injera-making quality.