Project 9: Enset agro processing: pilot scale production of starch for industrial and food application Project description Introduction Enset (Ensete ventricosum) closely related to the banana plant and commonly known as false banana. Although enset is known as an ornamental plant in many parts of the world it use as food source is only known in Southwest Ethiopia where more than 12 million people use it as a staple or co-staple food. The most important property of enset as a food crop is its high food yield per hectare. The pseudostem and corm are the edible parts of the plant that accumulate large quantities of starch. If appropriate methods are developed enset has an enormous potential as a source of industrial starch. In addition to starch enset give good quality fiber from the pseudostem, petiole and leaf. The pulp from corm after starch extraction and leaf after fiber extraction can be used as animal feed. Thus unlike most other crops all parts of the enset plant can be used for different application. Goal: Developing a process for the isolation of starch from enset and develop methods for the utilization of byproducts for different applications. The broad objective of this project is to develop a process for isolation of starch from enset and develop methods for the utilization of by products for different applications. The major anticipated outcomes of the project are getting the industries and the private sector to recognize and accept enset starch as a replacement of imported starch by 2010 and getting the technology adopted by the local communities in preparation of food and drinks. Specific objectives • Establish a pilot scale agro processing of enset starch isolation, modification, and hydrolysis • Develop enset starch - cereal composite flour for the preparation of different foods and drinks and thus increase its potential market • Study the distribution of wild enset in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, starch content, and investigate the possibility for its domestication or introduction. The broad objective of this project is to develop a process for isolation of starch from enset and develop methods for the utilization of by products for different applications. The major anticipated outcomes of the project are getting the industries and the private sector to recognize and accept enset starch as a replacement of imported starch by 2010 and getting the technology adopted by the local communities in preparation of food and drinks.  Project partners • Department of Biology and Biotechnology Program, Faculty of Science, Addis Ababa University • Kenya Forestry Research Institute, Kitui Regional Centre, Kenya • Department of Botany, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania • National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI), Namulonge. • Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Addis Ababa University, • Department of Economics, Faculty of Business and Economics Addis Ababa University. Implementation Status The viability of the project is evidenced by laboratory data collected so far which has demonstrated the potential of enset for different applications. The data has been used to design the pilot plant for enset processing. More about Project 9 Research Team Members