By Frank Kamuntu
Cassava utilization is limited because of the presence of cyanide, which causes poisoning. Various cassava tubers and varieties vary in the amount of cyanide content.
The process reduces the amount of cyanide to considerable levels. The starch is an important ingredient in medicine and food formulations.
The best irrigation method for saline water is drip because it allows the water to be used, and it also reduces salinity by maintaining a moist environment around the roots and this enables leaching of the salts.
The root which is edible contains lower cyanide compared to the peels. Therefore, some of the methods that can be used to reduce the toxicity of these cassava tubers are:
Peeling: It is the most commonly used method in preparing cassava for human consumption. Hence, it involves peeling the outer cover (peels) of the tuber, which contains a considerable amount of cyanide.
Boiling: A common method that can be used, however, the percentage reduction of cyanide depends on the boiling time, volume of water and tuber piece size.
