Effect of Two Pot Types on Iron Content of Fufu, a Fermented Cassava Meal

Abstract

In order to alleviate iron deficiency anaemia there is need for cheap sources of iron. Cassava was peeled, washed, soaked in water for three days after which it was wet-milled and processed into fufu using locally – made iron pots and Tower pots. Native iron content of raw cassava slurry and fufu was analyzed. The Total iron content of fufu was found to contain 80.20% and 65.49% contaminant iron which leached from locally made iron pots and Tower pots respectively. This is equivalent to 35.50%, 26. 40% and 20.54% of dietary iron of an adult male, adult female and a toddler respectively. These findings show that contaminant iron that leached into fufu in the course of preparation may be a cheap source of dietary iron, and encouraging the consumption of fufu thus prepared may be an effective way of alleviating iron deficiency anaemia especially in the southeastern and southwestern Nigerian population.

Keywords: Pot types, iron content, cassava meal.