Physico-chemical, sensory, and keeping quality of cassava flour produced by simple drying techniques

Abstract

A study was carried out to determine the effect of temperature of dehydration on the total cyanide content of cassava, evaluate the keeping quality of cassava flour so produced and to investigate the possibilities of incorporating the cassava flour into some common Kenyan foods. It was found that sun-drying, solar-drying and air drying at 30'C all resulted in higher percent total cyanide reduction than air drying at temperatures of either 40 or 60'C. The keeping quality of the cassava flour was evaluated by storing at ambient temperatures and at 3TC. The flour was packaged in kraft paper and polythene bags. Storage at 3TC resulted in large reductions in moisture, total cyanide and blue value index in both types of packages. There was, however, a definite increase in non-enzymatic browning, which was more prominent in the flour packaged in polythene bags than in that packaged in kraft paper bags. These changes were much less pronounced during storage at ambient temperatures, than during storage at 3TC. It was found that cassava flour could be favourably incorporated into the Kenyan foods "ugali", "mandazi" and "uji". In "ugali" levels of only upto 20% gave acceptable products, while with "mandazi" and "uji", levels of upto 50% could be tolerated. However at these high levels of substitution.the sensory attributes texture general appearance and overall acceptability were significantly reduced.