Injera (An Ethnic, Traditional Staple Food of Ethiopia): A review on Traditional Practice to Scientific Developments
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(2020) 7:32
Journal of Ethnic Foods
REVIEW ARTICLE
Open Access
Injera (An Ethnic, Traditional Staple Food of Ethiopia): A review on Traditional Practice to Scientific Developments Satheesh Neela*
and Solomon Workneh Fanta
Abstract Injera is fermented Ethiopian ethnic traditional staple food prepared usually form teff flour [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]. Almost all the Ethiopians consume this food at least once in a day. Injera preparation composed of many steps, starting from grain preparation to baking; these all steps are still performing with indigenous knowledge with traditional practices. This Ethiopian national super food appreciating in many western countries due to the superior nutritional properties, especially lack of gluten and good mineral compositions (Rich of Iron). Research on injera preparation from composite flours for nutritional enhancement and sensory quality improvements were took lion share in reported scientific research. However, limited research was reported on preservation of injera by chemical ingredients and natural species, microbes involved in fermentation and spoilage. In addition, very fewer studies were reported on effect of milling quality of injera seed and role of fermentation on anti-nutritional factors degradation. However, scientific review to show the injera traditional practice and scientific research undertaken in this area is hardly found. In considering above all, this review is under taken with objective to review the traditional ethnic practice and scientific research reported on injera preparation. Keywords: Absit, Composite flour, Ethnic staple food, Ethiopian bread, ersho, Injera, shiro, wot
Introduction "Injera" is an Amharic term for Ethiopian bread similar to pan cake, made usually from teff. Injera is thin, prepared from teff flour, water and starter (a fluid collected from previously fermented mix) after successive fermentations [1]. The best acceptable (sensory) injera should be rich in eyes, softer, thin, rolable and sour taste due to the fermentation process [2]. Injera is a traditional common ethnic staple food consumed in all the parts of the Ethiopia and Eretria, some parts of the Somalia [3]. However, small portion of rice, wheat, enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman) based foods consumed as part of the staple food along with injera in Ethiopia [4]. Gebrekidan and Gebrehiwot described that distinctive injera is in a circle shape, softer in texture, spongy and resilient, about 6 mm * Correspondence: [email protected] Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering, Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Post box Number: 026, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
in thickness, 60 cm in diameter with uniformly spaced honeycomb-like ‘eyes’ on the top [5]. Flatten breads/pan cakes with or without fermentation is very famous in diverse areas of the world, they may be differs each in the ingredients and preparation process, size and sensory properties. The foods similar to the injera were available in all over the world, as stated in the previo
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