Urga, Kelbessa (PhD)Zewdu, Ashagrie (PhD)Asfaw, Mengistu2022-04-072023-11-092022-04-072023-11-092014-01http://10.90.10.223:4000/handle/123456789/31208The aim of this study was to produce and evaluate the nutritional quality, anti nutritional factors and sensory characteristics of complementary foods from sorghum, maize, soybean, sorghum soybean and maize/soybean blend. Results showed that the moisture content ranged between 4. lgl \OOg for sorghum/soybean blend to 7.06 gl lOOg for fermented maize; the total ash content 0.75g1 100g for fermenled sorghum to 2.6 gl lOOg for maize/soybean blend; crude protein 7.34 gl lOOg for maize to 16.73g1100g for fermented sorghum/soybean blend; crude fat content 3.45g1100g for sorghum to 13.3g1 100g for sorghum/soybean blend; crude fibre 1.58g1 100g for fermented sorghum to 4.4g1100g for fermented sorghum/soybean blend; total carbohydrate 66.39 gl lOOg for sorghum/soybean blend to 85.56 gl lOOg for maize and energy value 402.5kcal/ 100g for sorghum to 442.46kcal1l00g for sorghum/soybean blend.Fermentation significantly decreased anti nutrient (tannin and phytate) and minerals concentration of the diets. Micronutrient results for Ca, Fe and Zn ranged between 5.64 mgl lOOg for fermented maize to 231.67 mgl lOOg for sorghum/soybean blend, 2.5mgl lOOg for fermented maize to 5. I 5mgl lOOg for sorghum/soybean blend and 1.21mgli00g for fermented maize to 3.67mgl1OOg for sorghum/soybean blend respectively. Result indicated that the antinutrient cOlltent (tannin and phytate) ranged between 1.96mgl i00g for fermented maize to 31.45mg1l00g for maize/soybean blend and 173.4 mgllOOg for fermented maize/soybean blend to 362.43mgl100g for sorghum respectively. The calcu lated molar ratios of diets for phylate: calcium, phytate: Iron, phytate: Zinc and (Ca) (Phytate): Zn ranged between O.06mM for fermented sorghum/soybean to 2.72mM for femlented maize, 3.83mM for fermented sorghum/soybean blend to 8.68mM for maize, 6.34mM for maize/soybean blend to 20.78mM for fermented maize and O.02mollkg for fermented maize to 0.43mollkg for sorghum/soybean blend respectively. After fermentation the results showed that the pH and titratable acidity ranged between 3.81 for maize to 4.13 for maize/soybean blend and 0.32 for maize/soybean blend to 0.46 for sorghum/soybean blend respectively. The viscosity ranged between 2566cP for fermented maize/soybean blend to 3960.5cP for maize. For the functional property the results showed that the bulk density ranged between 0.58g1mJ for fermented sorghum/soybean blend to O.9g1ml for maize; dispersibility 68.5% for fermented maize/soybean blend to 80.5'% for fermented sorghum; water absorption 1.93g1g for fermented sorghum to 2.5 I gig for fermented maize/soybean blend and oil absorption 3.54g1g for maize/soybean blend to 4.69g1g for fermented sorghum/soybean blend. Fermentation significantly affects the sensory properties of diets. The results showed that panelists score the color ranged between 6.2 for fermented sorghum/soybean blend to 8.8 for maize; taste 5.4 for fermented maize to 8.2 for maize; aroma 5.2 for fermented sorghum to 7.1 1 for sorghum/soybean blend; texture 5.8 for maize to 8.4 for fennented sorghum/soybean blend and overall acceptability 6.2 for fermented sorghum to 7.1 for fermented sorghum/soybean blend. Nutritious, acceptable and affordable complementary foods can be formulated using locally available food that can be better than traditional complementary foods. Fermented sorghum/soybean blend diet was concluded to possess the most desirable nutritional profile among formul ated food samples followed by sorghum/soybean blend, maize/soybean blend and fermented maize/soybean blend respectively. Key words: Fermentation, proximate composition, micronutrient, Antinutrient, Sensory characteristic and complementary foods.enFermentationproximate compositionmicronutrientAntinutrientSensory characteristic and complementary foodsThesis