Response surface methodology (RSM) was used for optimization of enset fermentation process. Two numerical (time and amount of starter culture) and one categorical variable (types of starter strain) was used for evaluation of sensory quality of kocho. The physicochemical properties, proximate composition and color of kocho product were also analyzed. It was found that the coefficient of determination (R2) of the response variables were greater than 80% described that high percentage of the variability was defined by the model. These findings revealed that fermentation time, amount of starter culture and types of starter strain affected the sensory attributes of kocho. The preferred sensory quality of kocho was produced using 2% L. plantarum as starter strain at 6 days of fermentation time.
Kocho is a traditional product in Ethiopia, prepared by fermenting parts of ‘false banana’ plants (
Ensete ventricosum
). Fermentation practices of kocho vary depending on the region of Ethiopia. In this study, 14 kocho samples originating from four different areas were investigated. They varied both in the fermentation technique and the duration of fermentation. Samples were analysed to determine the microbial community using culture-independent 16S amplicon high-throughput sequencing. In addition, bacterial strains were isolated and identified. Furthermore, the volatile profiles were characterized by HS-SPME treatment coupled with GC/MS. The results indicated that
Lactobacillus
and
Acetobacter
were the most dominant genera during kocho fermentation with
Lactobacillus plantarum
and
Lactobacillus brevis
being the prevalent species of
Lactobacillus.
The analysis of the volatile profiles demonstrated that acetic acid and butanoic acid prevailed in all samples. Our results showed that kocho samples prepared in different areas and using different processing methods varied both in the composition of the microbiota and in their volatile profiles.
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