Year: 2026 | Month: July | Volume: 16 | Issue: 7 | Pages: 280-291
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20260729
Consumer Acceptability of Therapeutic Finger Millet-Based Food Formulation Among Type 2 Diabetes Patients in Migori County, Kenya
Jacqueline Mutheu Munyao1, Ann Wambui Munyaka2, Hudson Nyambaka3, Judith Munga4
1Master's student, Department of Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences,
Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
2Lecturer, Department of Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, Kenyatta University
Health Sciences College, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya.
3Professor, Department of Chemistry, College of Pure and Applied Sciences, Kenyatta University
Health Sciences College, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya.
4Nutrition Consultant, Kenya.
Corresponding Author: Jacqueline Mutheu Munyao
ABSTRACT
Background: Finger millet (Eleusine coracana), recognized for its low glycemic index and high fibre content, offers potential therapeutic benefits for glycemic management. The purpose of this study was to assess consumer acceptability of a therapeutic finger millet-based formulation among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Methods: A cross-sectional analytical design was used with 90 randomly selected participants. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics, sensory attributes, modifications, enhancers, and barriers to sensory acceptability, employing the Trials of Improved Practices (TIPs) technique. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 29) and described using means, proportions, frequencies, and standard deviations. t-tests, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression were used to assess associations.
Results: The formulation, comprising roasted finger millet flour biofortified with chromium and oyster mushrooms biofortified with potassium, received high overall sensory acceptability (mean score of 4.406 ± 0.585) based on a five-point Likert scale. No significant differences in acceptability were observed across gender (t = 1.180; p = 0.241), education level (F = 0.676; p = 0.569), or product modifications (F = 1.717; p = 0.154). The majority of respondents (86.7%) rated the formulation's sensory attributes as comparable to traditional finger millet. Key enhancers of intake included knowledge of health benefits, weight control, convenience, and natural content. The barriers to acceptability comprised misconceptions about finger millet as a rural food associated with scarcity and limited market availability.
Conclusion: Findings support the potential of this therapeutic formulation as an acceptable dietary intervention for managing type 2 diabetes mellitus and provide insights to facilitate its integration into diabetic meal planning.
Key words: Consumer acceptability, Therapeutic Finger Millet, Type 2 Diabetes, Formulation