Assessing cyanogen content in cassava-based food using the enzyme-dipstick method

The cyanogen content of 35 cassava-based foods was determined using the enzyme-dipstick method. The analyses showed presence of residual cyanogens in these products, and they ranged from 2 to 88 mg HCN equivalent/kg. Foodstuff prepared from grated cassava roots exhibited a lower level of cyanogen co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Food and chemical toxicology 2001-07, Vol.39 (7), p.649-653
Main Authors: Yeoh, H.H, Sun, F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
beta-Glucosidase
Biological and medical sciences
Cassava
Chemical mutagenesis
Cyanide
cyanogen
Cyanogen content
Detoxification
Linamarase-dipstick
Linamarin
Manihot - chemistry
Manihot esculenta
Medical sciences
Methods
Nitriles - analysis
Nitriles - isolation & purification
Picrates
Plant Roots - chemistry
Temperature
Toxicology
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Summary:The cyanogen content of 35 cassava-based foods was determined using the enzyme-dipstick method. The analyses showed presence of residual cyanogens in these products, and they ranged from 2 to 88 mg HCN equivalent/kg. Foodstuff prepared from grated cassava roots exhibited a lower level of cyanogen content (2–31 mg HCN equivalent/kg) compared with those prepared as cassava root slices or from cassava flour (28–88 mg HCN equivalent/kg). These results showed that current commercial processing methods did not remove all the cyanogen present from cassava roots and it might be worthwhile re-examining these processing practices. In this respect, the report showed that an overnight treatment of cassava root slices with linamarase and cellulase might facilitate the removal of cyanogens. This study also demonstrated the usefulness of enzyme-dipsticks for assessing cyanogen content in cassava food products.
ISSN:0278-6915
1873-6351
DOI:10.1016/S0887-2333(01)00005-4