Dahal et al.

, J Food Nutr Disor 2021, 10:3

Journal of Food &

Nutritional Disorders
Research Article A SciTechnol Journal

In spite of the fact that, cassava has the significant potential

Effects of Different Processing for being staple crop, scientific validation of traditional processing
methods in terms of food quality and safety has not been attempted.
Methods on Anti-Nutritional Although a number of treatment methods like drying, blanching,

Factors of Cassava (Manihot boiling, roasting and fermentation are used for the lowering its anti-
nutrients and toxicity, the information on comparative effectiveness
esculenta crantz) of these methods are still the subject matter of research. The aim of
this intensive research is to provide the documentation about the
Prashant Dahal1*, Man Kumar Tamang1,2,3 processing methods those are effective in reducing these factors that
may significantly contribute in reducing health risk that are associated
with consumption of cassava.
Abstract
Materials and Methods
The effects of different treatments/methods (sun drying, cabinet
drying, blanching, boiling, roasting, and fermentation) on the This study was conducted on a single variety of Cassava i.e.
anti-nutrient (cyanogen, tannin, oxalate, and phytate) contents of Manihot esculenta crantz, collected from the landrace of Jhapa, Nepal.
harvested raw cassava tubers (collected from landrace of Jhapa, For fermentation of cassava, Murcha, A local product used as a source
Nepal) were examined. of yeast, were brought from the local manufacturers of Dharan.
The mean value of cyanogen, tannin, oxalate, and phytate content
in raw cassava were found to be 86.29, 29.81, 12.3, and 23.75 mg/ Processing methods of cassava
kg respectively. Maximum reduction of anti-nutrients: cyanogen The processing was performed at the laboratory of the Central
(65.5%), tannin (94.57%), oxalate (80.49%), and phytate (99.99%)
Campus of Technology (CCT) in Dharan, Nepal. The different
were found when cassava was fermented for 21 days after it has
been cooked for 10 min. Sun-drying was the second most effective
processing methods employed were:
method in terms of anti-nutrients removal. Boiling of cassava for 5 Blanching: Fresh cassava was peeled manually with a kitchen
min reduced the cyanogen and the other anti-nutrients significantly knife, washed, cut into a cylindrical shape, and blanched in the water
(p<0.05). The reduction of cyanogen by roasting for 5 min was
not significantly different (p>0.05) than roasting for 4 min. The of temperature about 88 ± 1℃ for 3 min in an open pan.
reduction of anti-nutrients by other techniques employed was less Boiling: For boiling, the tubers were peeled, washed, cut into a
as compared to that of fermentation, and hence we conclude that
cylindrical shape, and put into boiling 100 ml water, with a lid. The
fermentation is the most effective method for cassava processings.
samples were taken for analysis with every 1 min interval.
Keywords
Roasting: The fresh cassava roots were peeled, washed, and
Anti-nutritional factors; Cassava; Cyanogenic glycoside roasted up to 5 min, the analysis of the samples were done in a 1 min
interval.
Introduction Fermentation: The alcoholic fermentation of cassava was
performed after the peeled and washed cassava cooked for 10 min
Root and tuber crops are used as a staple food in most countries.
and cooled till 28 ± 2℃. 5 gm murcha were activated and inoculated
Cassava root is mainly a starchy food that is very rich in carbohydrates,
to the gelatinized cassava, and fermentation was carried on for 21 days
a major source of energy. But these are toxic when eaten raw, because
at room temperature.
of the various anti-nutritional factors present in them [1].
Sun-drying: The fresh cassava roots were peeled, washed, cut into
Anti-nutritional factors are chemical compounds synthesized
pieces of 10 mm uniform size and sun-dried for 15 consecutive days,
in natural food and/or feedstuffs by the normal metabolism of the
until moisture content declined to 11%.
species and by different mechanisms (for example inactivation of some
nutrients, diminution of the digestive process, or metabolic utilization Cabinet drying: The fresh cassava roots were peeled, washed, cut
of food/feed) which exerts effect contrary to optimum nutrition [2]. into pieces of 10 mm uniform size, and dried in a hot air oven at 55℃
Some of these anti-nutrients are deleterious to health. To reduce the for 3 h.
effect of these anti-nutrients, proper processing before consumption
is necessary. Cooking improves digestibility, promote palatability, Analytical methods for the determination of antinutrients
improves keeping quality, and also makes root crops safer to eat [3], Determination of oxalate: Powdered sample 5 gm was taken in
ultimately reducing the anti-nutrients to the safer level to eat. a 250 ml volumetric flask with 60 ml distilled water, 11 ml (6 N HCl)
was added and boiled for 15 min and cooled. The volume was made
up to 100 ml with distilled water. The solution was left overnight, the
*Corresponding author: Prashant Dahal, Department of Food Technology, next day the solution was centrifuged and 25 ml supernatant was
Central Campus of Technology, Tribhuvan University, Dharan, Nepal, E-mail: taken in which 5 ml tungstophospheric acid added, the solution left
[email protected] for 4 h and centrifuged. Again the supernatant was taken in a beaker
Received: March 16, 2021 Accepted: April 20, 2021 Published: April 30, 2021 in which ammonium hydroxide was added dropwise to maintain a

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Technology and Medicine
Citation: Dahal P, Tamang MK (2021) Effects of Different Processing Methods on Anti-Nutritional Factors of Cassava (Manihot esculenta crantz). J Food Nutr
Disor 10:5.

pH of 4-4.5. Then 5 ml acetate buffer was added and the solution left Results and Discussion
overnight.
Distribution of anti-nutrients in raw cassava tuber
The solution was centrifuged and the supernatant was discarded.
The precipitate was washed with 20 ml distilled water further Cyanogen, tannin, oxalate, and phytate content of a fresh raw
centrifuged again discarding the supernatant. To the precipitate 5 sample of Manihot esculenta crantz was determined and is shown in
ml sulphuric acid (1:9) was added and the solutions transferred in a Table 1. The mean values of cyanogen, tannin, oxalate, and phytate
conical flask with distilled water. The whole solution was boiled in a were 86.29 mg/kg, 29.81 mg/kg, 12.3 mg/kg, 23.75 mg/kg respectively.
water bath and titrated hot with standardized KMnO4 until the pink Sundaresan et al. have classified cassava roots based on cyanogen
color persisted for 30 s. The calculation was done as: content: Sweet varieties, having cyanide concentration <100 mg HCN
1 ml of 0.002 M KMnO4=0.45 mg anhydrous oxalic acid. equivalents/kg Fresh Weight (FW), bitter varieties, ranging from
100 mg to 450 mg HCN equivalents/kg FW, and very bitter varieties
Determination of phytate: Phytate was determined using the having concentration >450 mg HCN equivalents/kg FW [8]. The
method with some modifications. 5 g of the ground sample was soaked above-presented data is supported by Guédé et al. who worked on
in 100 ml of 2% HCl for 5 h and filtered. To 25 ml of the filtered, 5 ml cassava tuber and observed that fresh tuber contains 230 mg/kg (WB)
0.3% ammonium thiocyanate solution was added. The mixture was cyanide content in fresh cassava tuber. Based on these references, our
then titrated with Iron (III) chloride solution until a brownish-yellow analytical cassava tuber can be assumed of the sweet variety [9].
color that persisted for 5 min was obtained [4].
Likewise, tannins and oxalate content of raw tuber are found
Determination of tannin: Tannin was quantitatively determined near to the range given by Omosuli and Haritha et al. But the phylate
according to the manual of food quality control, following the content was found less than that explained in the literature [10,11].
colorimetric determination technique. Colorimetric estimation of This may be due to the degradation of phytic acid by inherent phytase
tannins is based on the measurement of the blue color formed by the upon storage on low temperature or it may be due to differences in the
reduction of phosphotungstomolybdic acid by tannin-like compounds variety of cassava [12].
in alkaline condition. The measurement is done at 760 nm [5].
Effects of drying
Determination of cyanide content: HCN content in cassava roots
was determined by an improved version for determination of the free The sun-dried (15 days, 11% m.c.) and the cabinet dried (55℃ for
and potential cyanide based on autolysis of cassava roots in which 3 h) samples of cassava were analyzed to study the reduction pattern
endogenous linamarase enzyme was used to hydrolyze linamarin and of anti-nutrient.
release CN-free cyanide determination is based on the colorimetric Cyanide was found to reduce to 65.84 mg/kg and 37.29 mg/kg
reaction of the picrate solution [6,7]. from 86.29 mg/kg in raw (i.e. 23.69% and 56.79% reduction) in the
5 gm of prepared sample was taken in clean mortar and pestle. cabinet and sun-drying respectively. The result obtained agrees with
Then extraction was carried out in 50 ml distilled water by grinding Nambisan, who reported lower cyanide retention during sun-drying
it homogenously for 1 min to 2 min. The extract was filtered through than in oven drying because the temperatures remain well below 55℃
a moderately retentive filter paper whatman No. 42. The filtrate [13]. These temperatures are optimal for linamarase activity resulting
was taken and 5 ml of this aliquot was transferred to a clean test in better cyanogen degradation. Similarly, the tannin, oxalate, and
tube followed by the addition of 10 ml of alkaline picrate and 5 ml phytate were found to reduce in a similar manner. The cabinet drying
of distilled water. This was a sample solution. Similarly, a blank was of cassava chips showed 26.14 mg/kg, 7.72 mg/kg and 13.93 mg/kg
made with each set of samples containing 0 ml of sample filtrate, (i.e. 12.31%, 37.2% and 41.34% reduction) respectively for tannin,
10 ml of alkaline picrate, and 5 ml of distilled water. The test tubes oxalate, and phytate, while sun-dried cassava chips showed the
containing sample and color reagents were incubated for 15 minutes readings 1.726 mg/kg, 2.58 mg/kg and 4.34 mg/kg (i.e. 94.2%, 79%
in a water bath at 37°C. Then, 15 μl of sulfuric acid was added to stop and 81.73% reduction) respectively.
the reaction and increase the stability of reading. All the sample and The changes in cyanogen, tannin, oxalate, and phytate in sun-
blank were shaken well and the absorbance was immediately read at dried and cabinet dried cassava are shown in Figure 1.
535 nm [7].
Effects of blanching
HCN content (ppm or mg/kg)=(Y × 50 × 1000)/(aliquot taken ×
sample weight taken)  Cyanide was found to reduce to 67.9 mg/kg from 86.29 mg/kg in
raw (i.e. 21.31% reduction) when blanched for 3 min. The tannins,
Where, Y=0.2476x+0.009 (R2=0.9536)
oxalate, and phytate were found to reduce to 27.36 mg/kg, 6.44 mg/
x=absorbance kg, and 8.15 mg/kg (i.e. 8.22%, 47.64%, and 65.68% respectively). For
the cyanogen reduction, the result obtained were similar to those
Statistical analysis
For all chemical analyses, triplicates of the same sample were Table 1: Cyanogen, tannin, oxalate and phytate content of raw cassava tuber
used and their mean value was used for statistical analysis for the (mg/kg).
determination of each anti nutrient. Mean values with standard Anti-nutrients Values (mg/kg)
deviation were computed. Data on boiling and roasting were subjected Cyanogen 86.29 ± 0.78
to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and considered a 95% confidence Tannin 29.81 ± 0.148
level using statistical software GenStat (Twelfth Edition developed by
Oxalate 12.3 ± 1.782
VSN International Limited).
Phytate 23.75 ± 2.086

Volume 10 • Issue 5 • 1000295 • Page 2 of 5 •

Citation: Dahal P, Tamang MK (2021) Effects of Different Processing Methods on Anti-Nutritional Factors of Cassava (Manihot esculenta crantz). J Food Nutr
Disor 10:5.

46.48% and 47.18% reduction) when roasted for 1 min, 2 min, 3 min,
4 min and 5 min respectively. Similarly, the tannins were found to
reduce to 24.50 mg/kg, 23.13 mg/kg, 22.11 mg/kg, 21.42 mg/kg, and
20.95 mg/kg from 29.80 mg/kg initial on roasting for 1 min, 2 min,
3 min, 4 min, and 5 minutes respectively which is not a significant
reduction.
Similarly, Oxalate was found to reduce to 10.16 mg/kg, 8.75 mg/
kg, 8.22 mg/kg, 7.74 mg/kg, and 7.69 mg/kg from initial of 12.3 mg/kg
in raw tuber on roasting for 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 4 min and 5 minute
respectively. The phytate reduction on roasting was sharp on 1st min
of roasting i.e. to 13.77 mg/kg and on further roasting for 2, 3, 4 and 5
min showed a reduction to 10.97 mg/kg, 9.6 mg/kg, 8.93 mg/kg, and
8.68 mg/kg respectively.
This shows the considerable reduction of anti-nutrients on roasting
and it can be predicted that further reduction could be achieved if
Figure 1: Changes in cyanogen, tannin, oxalate and phytate in sundried
and cabinet dried cassava. cassava is roasted for a longer time. However, a longer roasting period
enhances the burnt texture on the surface and may impair the sensory
attributes as well. The reduction pattern of cyanogen, tannin, oxalate,
obtained by Udensi et al. which says, residual cyanide was found more and phytate on roasted cassava is shown in Figure 4.
in blanched samples but improved the functional properties of the
Effect of fermentation
flour [14].
For studying the effects of fermentation of cassava by murcha,
The changes on cyanogen, tannin, oxalate, and phytate content in
cassava samples were taken and boiled for 10 min and let fermentation
blanched cassava is shown in Figure 2.
Effects of boiling 
For studying the effects of boiling, cassava samples were taken
individually for boiling for 1 min to 5 min respectively. After boiling,
the samples were analyzed to study the reduction pattern of anti-
nutrients. 
Cyanide was found to reduce to 71.7 mg/kg, 64.99 mg/kg, 59.79
mg/kg, 57.47 mg/kg and 54.72 mg/kg (i.e. 16.98%, 24.68%, 30.71%,
33.93% and 36.59% reduction) when boiled for 1 min, 2 min, 3 min,
4 min and 5 min respectively. Similarly, the tannins were found to
reduce to 26.33 mg/kg, 22.93 mg/kg, 19.98 mg/kg, 17.20 mg/kg, and
15.05 mg/kg from initial 29.80 mg/kg on 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 4 min,
and 5 min boiling respectively, while oxalate found to reduce to 10.89
mg/kg, 8.46 mg/kg, 7.19 mg/kg, 6.65 mg/kg and 4.81 mg/kg from
initial 12.3 mg/kg. The phytate was reduced from initial 23.75 mg/ Figure 2: Changes in cyanogen, tannin, oxalate and phytate content in
kg to 20.39 mg/kg, 16.55 mg/kg, 11.86 mg/kg, 7.87 mg/kg, and 4.35 blanched cassava.

mg/kg on boiling 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 4 min, and 5 min respectively. 

Apart from the first two minutes, further boiling reduced the
cyanogen to the safer level, indicating, greater the boiling time, the
larger is the reduction of cyanogen. But, increasing in boiling time
alters the textural property of cassava, making it gelatinized and
undesirable.
The effects of boiling on cyanogen, tannin, oxalate, and phytate
content of cassava are shown in Figure 3.
Effects of roasting
For studying the effects of roasting, the peeled cassava pieces were
treated directly in the fire for 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 4 min, and 5 min.
After roasting, samples were analyzed to study the reduction pattern
of anti-nutrients.
Cyanide was found to reduce to 68.47 mg/kg, 56.64 mg/kg, 49.73 Figure 3: Effects of boiling on cyanogen, tannin, oxalate and phytate
mg/kg, 46.18 mg/kg and 45.58 mg/kg (i.e. 20.65%, 34.34%, 42.37%, content of cassava.

Volume 10 • Issue 5 • 1000295 • Page 3 of 5 •

Citation: Dahal P, Tamang MK (2021) Effects of Different Processing Methods on Anti-Nutritional Factors of Cassava (Manihot esculenta crantz). J Food Nutr
Disor 10:5.

phytate content in raw cassava were found to be 86.29 mg/kg, 29.81

mg/kg, 12.3 mg/kg, and 23.75 mg/kg respectively on a dry basis.
Maximum reduction of anti-nutrients such as cyanogen (65.5%),
tannin (94.57%), oxalate (80.49%), and phytate (99.99%) was found
when cassava was cooked for 10 min followed by fermentation for
21 days. In the case of boiling, the boiling of cassava for 1 and 2 min
was insufficient to bring cyanogen less than lethal dose, while further
boiling reduced significantly (p<0.05), the cyanogen and other anti-
nutrients. In the case of roasting, roasting for 1 min was not sufficient
to reduce cyanogen. The 5 min roasting was not significantly different
(p>0.05) than roasting for 4 min. Every processing methods (excluding
cabinet drying, blanching, roasting for 1 min, and boiling for 1 and 2
min) were effective in reducing the anti-nutrients to a safe level.

Figure 4: Effects of roasting on cyanogen, tannin, oxalate and phytate Acknowledgments

content of cassava.
We appreciate our gratitude towards all the faculties and staff
of the Central Campus of Technology, Nepal, for their support and
technical assistance.

Conflicts of Interest
We do not have any conflict of interest for the particular research.

Ethical Statement
This study does not involve any human or animal testing.
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Citation: Dahal P, Tamang MK (2021) Effects of Different Processing Methods on Anti-Nutritional Factors of Cassava (Manihot esculenta crantz). J Food Nutr
Disor 10:5.

14. Udensi EA, Ukozor AUC, Ekwu FC (2007) Effect of fermentation, blanching, 15. Khadka S (2018) Study on chemical parameters and cyanogens content
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Author Affiliation Top

1
Department of Food Technology, Central Campus of Technology, Tribhuvan
University, Dharan, Nepal
2
The University of Queensland, Australia
3
Forum for Health Research and Development, Dharan, Nepal

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