Onwurah C. O.
Department of Food Technology
Federal Polytechnic Oko,
Anambra State, Nigeria
Email: christianobiekwe2007@yahoo.com
08026344679
Cyanide contents of fresh cassava tuber, dry abacha processed from the cassava tubers and commercial dried abacha samples were determined in this study using an alkaline titration method. The various cyanide obtained were 44.2mg/100g, 2.53mg/100g and 4.27mg/100g for the raw cassava tuber processed abacha and commercial dried Abacha samples. These results also showed fermentation is involved in multistep processing stages greatly reduced cyanogen contents of the cassava. From the result, the cyanide content was below 10ppm, recommended by World Health Organization as against the lethal dose of 10mg HCN per Kg body weight. The processed samples were below lethal dose and consumption of these products should be promoted and efforts made in processing method to further reduce cyanide contents of the products.
Keywords: cassava, cyanide, cooked, Abacha chips, fermentation.