Abstract

Human consumption of cyanide in cassava food products above the threshold has detrimental effect on the body system. This study investigated ten (10) different cassava products purchased to determine their levels of cyanide content. The residual cyanide in the cassava processed products were used as obtained without any pre-treatment, fermented for 36 hours and filtered. Titration was then carried out using the extract with silver trioxonitrate and the result of the HCN obtained are; dry white gari 4.63 ± 0.2 mg / kg, dry yellow gari 4.59 ± 0.1 mg / kg, abacha or tapioca 3.38 ± 0.4 mg / kg, lafun (akpu, grated cassava paste)6.21 ± 0.3 mg / kg, raw fufu (uncooked cassava flour)6.35 ± 0.2 mg / kg, cooked fufu 4.01± 0.05 mg / kg, cassava chips 6.44 ± 0.4 mg / kg, eba white gari 3.20 ± 0.1 mg / kg, eba yellow gari 3.65± 0.2 mg / kg and fresh raw cassava tuber 12.29 ± 0.3 mg / kg respectively. The result revealed that the levels of HCN in all the cassava products assessed falls within the stipulated FAO/WHO safety limit except the fresh raw cassava tuber sample. Tapioca or abacha has the lowest cyanide concentration to minimum level. Thus, it implies that the different processing methods for various cassava products effectively influence the level of residual cyanide in the cassava products with varying impacts. There is therefore a need for periodic and constant check and monitoring of the concentration of cyanide in cassava products to ensure quality and safety of food consume by humans.