Abstract

The experiment was carried out using two Enset ventricosum varieties (Lemat and Yedeberye) and three fermentation time, to investigate the effects of fermentation time and enset variety (Lemat and Yedeberye) on the proximate composition of kocho. In this study, kocho samples were prepared from yedbereye and Lemat enset variety, and processed by indigenous Gurage kocho processing methods. All processed kocho samples were then fermented for 30, 60 and 90 days. This studies output revealed that, the proximate composition of kocho were affected by fermentation time and Enset ventricosum variety. The contents of crude fat, crude fiber, moisture, crude protein and total ash in the Kocho that is prepared from yedebereye (1.74%, 4.90%, 54.84%, 4.57% and 3.14% respectively) was found higher Than the contents in Kocho prepared from Lemat (1.6%, 3.8%, 50.84%, 3.19% and 2.68% respectively). On the other hand, Kocho samples prepared from Lemat resulted in higher carbohydrate content (37.85%). As fermentation time increased, crude fiber, crude fat, carbohydrate and moisture contents were decreased; whereas, the total ash and crude protein contents were increased. The Fermentation time significantly (p<0.05) reduces the moisture and crude fiber content, whereas the reduction was not significant for the crude fat and carbohydrate content in Kocho prepared from both variety. Moreover, fermentation significantly (p<0.05) increases the crude protein and total ash content