Main Article Content
Changes in the nutrient and anti-nutrient content of micro-fungi fermented cassava flour produced from low- and medium-cyanide variety of cassava tubers
Abstract
nutrient solution, independently, before allowing them to ferment aerobically for 3 days. The fermented mash was subsequently dried and milled into cassava flour. Subsequently, the proximate, mineral and
the anti-nutrient composition of the cassava flour were determined. The results of the study revealed that the unfermented flour from low-cyanide cassava variety had higher protein, fibre, ash, fat, Ca, Na
and K contents, while those produced from medium-cyanide variety, had higher anti-nutrient (tannin, cyanide and phytate), Zn, Mg and Fe contents. However, solid substrate fermentation of the cassava
mash using R. oryzae and S. cerevisae, independently, caused a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the protein and fat content. The nutrient enrichment was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in flour produced
from low-cyanide cassava variety. In addition, S. cerevisae fermentation brought about a higher increase in the nutrient content than R. oryzae fermentation. Conversely, fermentation of the cassava
caused a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in the anti-nutrient content of the flour; although, the level of decrease was more in the flour produced from low-cyanide variety than medium-cyanide variety.
Nevertheless, there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the ability of the fungi to decrease the antinutrient (except phytate) of the cassava flour. Furthermore, micro-fungi fermentation did not cause a
significant change (P > 0.05) in mineral content (except Mg and K) of the fermented cassava flour. Therefore, unfermented cassava flour produced from low-cyanide cassava tubers had high nutrient
composition and low anti-nutrient content, and more susceptible to micro-fungi nutrient enrichment and detoxification than medium-cyanide variety. Furthermore, S. cerevisae was more efficient in the
nutrient enrichment of the cassava flour than R. oryzae.