ABSTRACT

Three bitter varieties of cassava (Manihot esculenta) (NR 8082, NR 8083 and TMS 30555) were processed into cassava flour. The cassava flour was processed using oven drying and sun drying methods. The cyanide contents of the fresh cassava peels, liquor and dewatered mash were determined. They ranged from, peels (13.26mg/kg1.37mg/kg), liquor (18.81mg/kg- I 1.34mg/kg) and mash (6.95mg/kg- 3.98mg/kg). The cyanide contents of the flours was determined on day I, 2 and 3. The cyanide contents of oven dried cassava flour on day I ranged from 3.80mg/kg - I .49mg/kg, obtained on day 2 values ranged from 3.68mg to I .67mg/kg, and values obtained on the third day ranged from3.62mg/kg - 3.42mg/kg. The cyanide contents of cassava flour of sundried samples value obtained on day I, ranged from 2.36mg/kg - 3.41 mg/kg, the values obtained on day 2 values from 2.24mg/kg- 2. 74mg/kg and the values obtained on day 3 ranged 2.11 mg/kg - 2. 75mg/kg. The cassava flour had the following proximate compositions. The oven dried samples ranged from 14.39% - 15.69%, moisture, 0.50% - 0.90% Ash, 0.03% - 0.04% protein, I. 11% - 1.84% fat, 4.75% - 3.25% crude fibre, and 79.0 I% - 78.10% carbohydrate. The proximate composition of sundried samples ranged from moisture 19.91% - 10.07%, Ash 0.90% - 0.66%, protein 0.03% - 0.03%, Fat 1.70%- 1.89, Crude fibre 4.25% - 4.00% and carbohydrate75% - 82%.The result showed that the oven dried slightly varied from sundried, but there was no significant difference on the cyanide content of the cassava flour.