Effects of storage in moist sawdust on the proximate and chemical properties of fresh cassava root

Abstract

Cassava differs from other major root crops in that its edible roots are not organs of dormancy. It does not appear to have a natural function in the preservation of the plant through the dry season. Thus, this makes pre-process storage one of the major drawbacks for cassava utilisation. This study investigated the quality of cassava roots stored in moist sawdust. The proximate and chemical compositions were determined for the stored cassava. Results showed that there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the proximate composition of the stored cassava samples in terms of the ash content, moisture content, fat content, crude fibre, crude protein and carbohydrate. The pH, total titratable acidity (TTA) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) values of cassava roots ranged from 5.19 to 6.33, 0.01 to 0.16% and 7.65 to 14.54 mg/kg respectively. Storage of fresh cassava roots for 12 weeks is however recommended to still produce good quality cassava which compare well with published recommended values.