ORGANOLEPTIC AND ACCEPTABILITY ASSESSMENT OF SELECTED IMPROVED INDIGENOUS GHANAIAN DISHES

—85—IJFACS, Volume 11, 2023ORGANOLEPTIC AND ACCEPTABILITY ASSESSMENT OF SELECTED IMPROVED INDIGENOUS GHANAIAN DISHES 1LINDA COBBAH, 2AUSWELL AMFO-ANTIRI and 3 KUTUM COMFORT MADAH1: Department of Integrated Home Economics Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana, Email: lcobbah@uew.edu.gh ; Tel. +233 209 989 243; ORCRID 0009-0001-9755-6704 2: Department of Integrated Home Economics Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana Email: aantiri@uew.edu.gh Tel. +233 558032383 ORCID 0000-0002-1017-8430 3: Department of Food and Nutrition Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. Email: kcmadah@uew.edu.gh; Tel. +233 243439229 ABSTRACT Ghana is home to more than 70 different ethnic groups with distinct traditional indigenous recipes and dishes that spell out their cultural roots and identity, which have been handed down from generation to generation. However, there seems to be a reduction in the choice and consumption of these due to obsolete ingredients used in contact with foreign cultures, modernity, education, peer influence, convenience, time and method of preparation. Very little information can be found on improved indigenous Ghanaian dishes as most researchers in this field have focused on documenting the recipes rather than improving the existing ones to increase their acceptability and patronage hence this exploratory study. With a sample of 100 respondents, of Winneba community members using convenience and purposive techniques, quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using SPSS version 26 and presented using descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that all respondents (100%) were familiar with the original dishes but scored the improved dishes (Banku, Yakɛyakɛ, Mpɔtɔmpɔtɔ, Peewa, Ɛtɔ, Akankye3, Aky3k3) very high (75% - 95%) with regards to their appearance, aroma, taste, after taste, texture and overall acceptability during the sensory evaluation. A p-value ranging from 0.00 - 0.02 (p<.05) was obtained for all 5 null hypotheses, indicating a rejection of these null hypotheses for their alternate hypotheses. It is therefore concluded that adding other ingredients such as fish powder, soya flour, and assorted vegetables to the original recipes improves the dishes’ sensory properties and increases their acceptability by consumers. It is recommended that homemakers, caterers, and chefs adopt improved recipes to bring variety to the diet of consumers while promoting and maintaining the Ghanaian food culture.