Fermented foods are essential in the diet worldwide. However, the production process, the ingredients used and the fermented products generated vary from region to region. Ethiopia exhibits a rich cultural diversity that is reflected in a high variety of indigenous fermented foods consumed (Wedajo Lemi, 2020). Fermented foodstuffs are integral to the Ethiopian diet, contributing to the unique flavors and nutritional benefits that define the Ethiopian cuisine. Most of them are prepared from plant-based raw materials, mainly tubers and cereals by the spontaneous activity of microorganisms already present in such matrices, or through back-slopping, and are limited to household production (Malongane & Berejena, 2024). Fermentation is a traditional and affordable method for shelf-life extension of foods and for enhancing their safety (Obafemi et al., 2022). Additionally, this process confers multiple advantages to foods such as the increase in the content and bioavailability of nutrients and phytochemicals, while reducing the amount of antinutritional factors, allergens, pathogenic microorganisms and toxins (Diez-Ozaeta & Astiazaran, 2022). Furthermore, fermentation improves the texture, flavor, aroma of food products, and provides beneficial probiotic microorganisms capable of producing health-promoting metabolites (Ghosh, Bornman, Meskini, & Joghataei, 2024). By encouraging the consumption and local production of fermented foods, opportunities arise to improve food security, diversify nutrient sources and contribute to the socioeconomic development of vulnerable communities in African countries (Fagunwa, Akinsemolu, & Olanbiwoninu, 2023).
Kocho and Injera are among the most consumed fermented foods in Ethiopia. Kocho is a bread-like food produced from the corm and pseudostem of Enset (Ensete ventricosum), a multipurpose Ethiopian food security crop supporting approximately 20 million population, mainly in the South and Southwestern part of the country (Yemata, 2020). Baked Kocho is a staple food in this country and it contains complex carbohydrates, minerals and lactic acid bacteria (Bosha et al., 2016; Seboka, Bejiga, Turunesh, Turito, & Girma, 2023). Kocho is often mixed with spices and butter, sometimes cut into little pieces and cooked with legumes, vegetables, and meat (Fanta & Neela, 2019). The baked Kocho bread can be consumed on its own or along with stew made from vegetables or meat, minced beef or cheese.
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