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DETERMINATION OF THE CYANIDE CONTENT OF CASSAVA TUBER

ABSTRACT

Determination of the cyanide contents of cassava tubers harvested the same day and a day after has been carried out. The results of the analysis indicates that the level of cyanide in cassava tuber reduces with time, the freshly harvested cassava tuber has more cyanide content than the cassava that is harvested and last to stay for one day. The cyanide content of cassava harvested the same day is 0.676mg/100g  while the one harvested and left to stay for one day has a cyanide content of 0.06060mg/100g,

CHAPTER ONE

1.0   INTRODUCTION

Hydrogen cyanide is a colourless liquid or gas with a faint, bitter almond odour. It has a molecular formular HCN. It is reading soluble in water. Its solution in water is known as hydrocyanic acid or prussic acid. Its other name is fermonitrile. Salt of HCN are called cyanides, formonitriles is a poisonous substance, as such it is often regarded as an antinutritional factor. Cassava root, a dietary steple in many tropical regions contains cyanogenic glucose such as linaman, which releases cyanide (CN) when metabolized endogenously (Kamalu, 1995).

People eating food that contain  low level of cyanide for a long time develop damage to the central nervous system (CNS) and thyroid glands (Jantz and Uluwaduge, 1997). Long time ingestion of food containing cyanide can lead to deafness, vision problems and loss of muscle coordination, the effect of this on thyroid gland I screatinism (retarded physical and mental growth in children) or enlargement and over activity of the gland. Other effects of cyanide include pancreatic diabetics vitamin B12deficiency, and decreases iodine up take (Makkar and Becker, 1998). Liver inflammation and haemorrhage, kidney, adrenal, myocardinal and testicular lesion have been observed in dogs that consumes cassava containing low amount of cyanide (Abaye, 1998). Also it has been reported that consumption of food substance containing hydrogen cyanide may cause death  within few hours.

This is however dependent on the amount of consumed in the food material. Most importantly the recommended safe (tolerable) limit of cyanide for human consumption is 10mg kg-1.

1.1     Statement of the Problem

Cyanide has been reported to be major cause of the death of livestoks and man feeding on leaves, steam and poorly processed cassava tubers this has prompted, for a project work to be carried out on the determination of cyanide content of cassava tuber harvested, the same day and two days latter.

1.2     Objective of the Study

-      To sustain an enhance food security and livelihood of farmers and processors by assisting them to successfully produce their produce with compliance with food safety standard for cassava products.

-      To assess cyanide content in cassava harvested the a day and the other left for a day later.

-      To access cyanide content in processed cassava to determine how different processing technique can help reduce cyanide content.

1.3     Significance of the Study

The result of this project work would be useful in the determination of cyanide content of cassava tubers.