ABSTRACT

Cassava features prominently as the major source of energy in Nigeria and is very important in developing countries for meeting the rising demand for food. It has obvious possibilities for solving calorie intake shortage in the communities. Cassava has been reported as one of the most productive root crops in the tropics in terms of yields of dry matter per acre and probably this explains why cassava is used as a cheaper source of carbohydrate in most areas. It is however deficient in other nutrients, therefore other foods are usually taken with it to improve its nutrient content. Cassava is mostly deficient in protein and needs to be improved with a highly proteinous food (Latham, 1979). Garri as well as other cassava products are very low in protein both in quality and quantity; therefore it needs to be improved with a protein-rich food so that its protein content will be improved. Garri is a major food source especially by the low income group and rural dwellers. They usually depend on it as their main food either consuming it with soup or stew or adding sugar or salt to it or drinking it. This makes malnutrition due to protein deficiency more vivid among the low-income group and rural dwellers. For this group, due to the harsh economic situation in the country, proteinous foods of animal origin like milk, egg, meat and fish are a thing of the past in their diet. They have all learnt to do without these proteins of high biological value. This situation poses a challenge which calls for effective utilization of our local proteinous food items especially crops whose protein can compete favourably with animal protein and must be affordable (Ene, 1992).