Anchote is an endemic and potentially valuable crop of Ethiopia and nutritionally, it is a goodrnsource of minerals and fiber. The crop is used as food security plant during food shortage sincernthey are drought-tolerant and high yielding. This study was aimed at developing and enhancingrnthe value of anchote based ready to eat food products for the babies in the age group of 6 to 18rnmonths using drum dryer, and to evaluate their suitability and wholesomeness. Accordingly,rnanchote, oat and soybean were selected based on their nutritional value, affordability andrnavailability to develop a protein and energy complementary food. Response surface methodologyrn(RSM) was implemented to study the effect of drum drying process parameters on proximate andrnmineral composition, antinutritional factors, physical and functional properties, microbial load rnand sensory quality attributes. By applying mixture design D-optimal software, a formulation rncontaining 54.11g/100g anchote, 26.59g/100g oat, and 19.28g/100g soybean flour was selectedrnas the best source of energy (380.03kcal) and protein (18.01g/100g). The drum drying processrnvariables were: drum temperature (145 and 160Â°C), drum speed (200 and 300 rpm) and productrnparticle size (0.6 and 0.8mm). The optimum protein and energy contents of the product obtainedrnat 145rnornC drum temperature, 200rpm drum speed and 0.6mm particle size were 18.68% protein,rn5.3 % fat, 4.27% ash, and 68.94 % total CHO and 399.82kcal/100g of utilizable energy. The rn rnvitamin B2, Ca, Zn, Fe, Mg and K contents of drum dried products were (0.48, 168, 0.51, 1.46, rn rn86 and 54 mg/100g) higher than the raw formulated flour (0.46, 148, 1.24, 0.22, 81.03 and rn rn68mg/100g). The antinutritional reduction of phytate was from 190.34 to 113.41mg/g and thatrnof tannin was from 12.23 to 3.89mg/g. The functional properties: namely water absorption, oilrnabsorption, swelling power, dispersibility and solubility (2.75g/mL, 1.48mL/g, 3.75g/g, 65.77%rnand 63.2%) of the drum dried products were higher than that of formulated raw flour (1.26ml/g,rn1.42mL/g, 2.68g/g, 50.5% and 41.23% ) due to starch gelatinization. The sensory results of thernproduct produced at a drum temperature of 160rnC, drum speed of 300 rpm and particle size ofrn0.6mm was perceived as the most acceptable ones. Microbiological analysis results showed thatrnColiform and E. coli were not detected in all products. The total plate count, yeast and moldrncount analysis showed results in the safe limit according to FAO and WHO recommendations.rnThe optimum protein and energy contents of the product obtained at 145rnornC drum temperature,rn200rpm drum speed and 0.6mm particle size content have been found to be ideal operating rnorn rnvariables for production of anchote-based ready to eat baby food product.