UNDP Injera Project

Project name	UNDP Injera Project
Project short-name	UNDP_INJ
AMU project code	EXT/UNDP/VPRP/14/2016
Project phase	I
Partner(s)/ country(ies)	UNDP
AMU coordinating office(s)	VPRP
Project type	Multi-type
Project location	Arba Minch
Target communities	Hotels and Universities
Project coordinator	VPRCE office
Principal investigator	Addisu Fekadu Andeta
Co-investigators	Ribka Ibrahim, Gemechu Leta
Partner budget contribution (Euro)	8,400
Total project budget ( )	8,400
Project start	1-Feb-24
Project end	31-Jan-25
Select financial reporting period	Annually
Project finance management office	AMU main finince & budget admin
Select progress reporting period	Quarterly
Contact person (name and e-mail)	Dr. Addisu Fekadu
Project Management Office	Office of the Director for Grant and Collaborative Project Management: Dr. Thomas Torora (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this proposal is to pursue financial support to commercialize a proven natural preservative to improve the quality and shelf life of injera. Typically, injera storage period does not exceed three days at ambient temperature mainly due to mold spoilage. In our series of laboratory and field experiments, we evaluated and identified three effective plant-based natural preservatives to extend the shelf-life and quality of injera, which includes Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), Garlic (Allium sativum) and Rosemary (Salvia Rosmarinu). Formulation and standardization of the natural preservatives was performed using infusion method. The standardized aqueous plant extracts (5 mol/L) were used to evaluate the shelf-life and quality of injera following a standard protocol. Under controlled condition, the standardized plant extract showed 100% inhibition of the most important injera spoilage fungi, namely Aspergillus, Penicillium and Rhizopus spp. Furthermore, the validated plant extract under laboratory conditions were used to evaluate the shelf-life of injera at ambient temperature. To this end, each of the standardized plant extracts were sprayed on injera batter just immediately after baking following the validated protocol. Then, the appearance of clear molds and other spoilage microbes on the surface of injera were monitored for three weeks. Transparent grid was used to count the spoilage fungi on the surface of injera. Injera treated with the validated Cinnamon and Rosemary extracts (5 mol/L) alone showed no sign of mold growth until day 7. Also, injera treated with aqueous extract of garlic bulb (5 mol/L) showed no sign of mold growth until day 12. Injera, which was treated with all the three plant extracts (5 mol/L) showed no sign of mold growth on the surface of injera even after day 15, but a slight moisture reduction was observed after day 15. In this specific project, the proven natural preservative (all the three plant extracts) will be produced in bulk with the involvement of the local community. Farmers will be trained on mass cultivation of the plants and market link will be created with the team. A pilot plant extraction, standardization and packing site will be established at Arba Minch and the natural preservatives will be marketed in selected cities of Ethiopia. A total of 1,482,176 Ethiopian birr will be required for the mass cultivation of the plants, installing the extraction and packaging facilities in Arba Minch town.