Quality evaluation of ‘gari’ produced from cassava and sweet potato tuber mixes

Abstract

The quality evaluation of gari produced from mixes of cassava (Manihot esculenta, Crantz) and Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) tubers were investigated and reported. This is done to allow for the establishment of the best mixes of cassava and potato tubers to be adopted in the composite gari produced. Gari was produced from mixes of cassava and sweet potato tubers at different ratios (100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, and 50:50 cassava and potato tubers, respectively). The samples of gari produced were subjected to various analyses like nutritional, antinutritional and organoleptic assessment using standard methods. The outcome of the proximate analysis revealed a gradual increase in the protein contents (1.27± 0.003 to 2.30 ± 0.110%,), ash (0.12 ± 0.020 to 0.48 ± 0.020%), fat (1.08 ± 0.030 to 1.54 ± 0.030%) and crude fibre (1.24 ± 0.004 to 1.48 ± 0.020%) as the percentage of sweet potato increased in the produced gari. There was reduction in the carbohydrate contents (84.55 ± 0.004 to 82 ± 0.030) with the increase in the percentage sweet potato. The moisture content was within the range of 10.20 ± 0.020 to 11.75 ± 0.030%. For the antinutritional factors, all the components (tannins, phenols, saponnins, glycosides, trypsin, phytate and oxalate) determined were at a very low concentration (maximum of 0.01 g/100 g and 0.012%). The sensory evaluation showed that sample A was scored best in all the quality attributes (color, taste, texture, chewability, soakability and the overall acceptability) except for the aroma where sample C scored highest. Conclusively, from the results obtained in this work, sweet potato addition in gari production can be said to give positive effects on the nutritional qualities of the product but does not really add to the organoleptic properties.

Keywords: Cassava, sweet potato, nutritional, anti-nutritional, organoleptics

African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(31), pp. 4920-4924