Cassava processing
Practical Action
fermented paste is put into hessian or polypropylene sacks and placed in to the press. An
alternative traditional approach is to use rocks to compress the sacks, which allows the
fermentation and pressing to take place at the same time.
Sieving will produce a high quality product with similar sized granules. Larger particles that are
separated during this process are sold as a cheaper grade.
The product should be packed into polythene bags to prevent any moisture being absorbed from the
air. This is especially important in areas of high humidity. The bags should then be stored in a cool
dry location.
Another approach to making cassava flour is to incorporate a
fermentation stage which produces a slightly sour flavour
The basic steps for
product known as Gari. This can be done either during the
dewatering stage or through retting which involves soaking the
whole or cut roots in water for 3 to 5 days until root has
making Gari
Sort
Peel
fermented. The duration of fermentation should be carefully
monitored to ensure that detoxification is complete but the
product must also have an acceptable flavour and texture.
Wash
Cut/grate
Pound or mill
Ferment
Roasting the
Dewater/dry
flour improves
the storage
capacity. It is
Sieve
Roast
Cool
done in a large,
shallow pan over
Sieve
Pack
a fire, with
Store
constant stirring
with wooden paddles for 20 to 30 minutes. It can
be done with palm oil on its own. Cylindrical
rotating roasters are used for in larger scale
production setups.
Figure 4: Cassava flour roaster
Illustration: Neil Noble/Practical Action
Fufu is made from cassava flour by pounding the
material until a gelatinous sticky product results.
Traditionally this was done using a pestle and
mortar and could take up to an hour. Motorised
pounding machines reduce the amount of work
required. One such design was developed by the
Department of Agricultural Engineering at the
University of Ife in Nigeria.
Making starch
Starch is traditionally used for foods such as
biscuits, bread, and as a base for puddings.
It is also used for non-food applications
such as in papermaking and in the textile
industry.
There are two approaches to producing
starch - non-fermented starch or soft starch,
and fermented starch or sour starch.
Constraints to cassava fermented starch
production are the variable quality of the
end product. Colour, expansion during
cooking and water absorption are important
qualities of starch.
The basic steps for making starch
Wash,
Chop or grate
Mill with water
Sieve
Mill again
Allow to settle
Separate - Drain the water
Remove the top layers of fine fibre
Ferment (optional)
Remove the starch, break and dry.
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