ENHANCING AZIKYAU: THE CULTURAL FOOD OF ADARA COMMUNITY IN KADUNA STATE

ABSTRACT Cultural foods play a vital role in the development and promotion of hospitality industry, locally, national and international. It is also a known fact that cultural foods are locally made products which depicts what the community or a tribe eats. The effort to make local foods to favorably compete with internationally recognized dishes is still very much a challenge and success so far has been elusive. This study titled “Enhancing Azikyau; The Cultural Food of Adara Community In Kaduna State, produce and conduct evaluation of enhanced Azikyau, determine the overall acceptability of Azikyau among hotel guests, considering their diverse cultural backgrounds and culinary preferences and compare the acceptability of the enhanced azikyau to the local azikyau.An experimental method was used for this study. The cook cultural food was served to 25 panelist comprising of 5catering professionals (hotel chefs in Bauchi metropolis) and 10 respondents from Kaduna state who are student of and 10 respondents from other states in Nigeria both including staff and student of federal Polytechnic Bauchi. The study found that there ispositive perceptions among respondents across various sensory attributes. Sample A received commendable ratings for Clarity, Taste, and General Acceptability, while Sample B excelled in Appearance and Clarity, with significant proportions of respondents favoring these attributes. Both samples generally demonstrated high satisfaction levels, though Sample B garnered higher preference and more consistent positive ratings. The study concluded that the ANOVA results further underscored significant differences between the samples, particularly in attributes like Flavor and Taste, highlighting the impact of these factors on overall acceptance. The study recommended that consumers should be about the attributes and benefits of Azikyau to enhance understanding and appreciation, potentially influencing purchase decisions.