Construction and performance evaluation of an on-farm scale solid state fermenter

Abstract

The protein enrichment of cassava peel using solid state fermentation (SSF) was studied on both laboratory and on-farm scales using Trichoderma viride as a starter culture. The fermentation of cassava peel was carried out using cassava peel with particle size 4.00>p>3.35 mm, initial moisture content of 60% at pH 6.0, 30^oC incubation temperature with ammonium sulphate (10g N / kg substrate) as additional nitrogen source for 8 days at the laboratory scale and 28-30^oC at the on-farm scale. A high relative humidity of 90-95% was maintained throughout the fermentation period. The fermented peel was oven-dried at 60oC, ground and analysed. for crude protein, true protein, crude fat, crude fibre, ash, carbohydrate, starch and cyanide using standard methods. Comparable values were obtained for laboratory and on-farm scale fermentation. However, the on-farm technique yielded higher protein enrichment compared with laboratory experiments. Cassava peel fermented on-farm yielded 10.93% protein while laboratory scale yielded 10.43%

Key words: cassava peel, laboratory scale, on-farm scale, protein enrichment, solid-state fermentation.