Low cyanide exposure from consumption of cassava in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

The extent of cyanide exposure from cassava consumption was studied in low income suburbs of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Mean cyanogen levels in sun‐dried root pieces called makopa was 9.4 (range 0–79) mg HCN equivalents kg−1 dry weight. The mean glucoside and hydrogen cyanide levels were 6.4 and 3.2 m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Natural toxins 1998, Vol.6 (2), p.67-72
Main Authors: Mlingi, N. (Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.), Abrahamsson, M, Yuen, J, Gebre-Medhin, M, Rosling, H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
cassava
CASSAVA FLOUR
Child
COCCION
COOKING
CUISSON
cyanide
cyanogenic glucosides
CYANOGENIC GLYCOSIDES
Diet
ENFANT EN AGE SCOLAIRE
Feeding Behavior
Female
GLICOSIDOS CIANOGENICOS
GLYCOSIDE CYANOGENE
Glycosides - analysis
Humans
Hydrogen Cyanide - analysis
LINAMARIN
LINAMARINA
LINAMARINE
MAKOPA
Male
Manihot - chemistry
Manihot - poisoning
Manihot esculenta
METHODE
METHODS
METODOS
NINOS DE EDAD ESCOLAR
Nitriles - urine
Plant Roots - chemistry
Plant Roots - poisoning
SCHOOL CHILDREN
TANZANIA
TANZANIE
THIOCYANATE
THIOCYANATES
Thiocyanates - urine
TIOCIANATOS
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Summary:The extent of cyanide exposure from cassava consumption was studied in low income suburbs of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Mean cyanogen levels in sun‐dried root pieces called makopa was 9.4 (range 0–79) mg HCN equivalents kg−1 dry weight. The mean glucoside and hydrogen cyanide levels were 6.4 and 3.2 mg HCN equivalents kg−1 dry weight, respectively, while cyanohydrins were lower with a mean of 2.0 (range 0–27) equivalents kg−1 dry weight. Food frequency interviews with 193 schoolchildren revealed that 13% of the children consumed cassava stiff porridge in the previous week. Fried cassava pieces were consumed by 82% and boiled cassava pieces by 49% of the children. The urinary thiocyanate in these children was 36 ± 3 (mean ± SEM) µmol l−1 and mean urinary linamarin level was 18 ± 1 µmol l−1, indicating low cyanide exposure. Multiple regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between urinary thiocyanate and consumption of boiled cassava pieces as well as between urinary linamarin levels and daily intake of fried cassava pieces. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ISSN:1056-9014
1522-7189
DOI:10.1002/(SICI)1522-7189(199804)6:2<67::AID-NT17>3.0.CO;2-9