Effects of Storage Period and Moisture Content on Vacuum-Sealed Cassava Mash

Abstract

High-quality cassava flour and starch processing are hindered by distance between farms and flash dryers and the deterioration of cassava root after 24 hours of harvest. A vacuum sealer was used to investigate the effect of storage parameters on vacuum sealed cassava mash. The input variables were 5 levels of storage period and 3 levels of moisture contents. The output parameters were pH, total titratable acid, free cyanide and total cyanide. The Analysis of Variance revealed that both factors and their interaction were significant at 5% significance level. The vacuum sealed cassava mash was stored for 10 weeks and it was found that between 0 – 4 weeks there were no marked variation in the properties of pH, total titratable acid, free cyanide and total cyanide. It was observed that after the fourth week of storage pH increased as the moisture content and storage period increased. However, the total titratable acid, free cyanide and total cyanide decreased as the moisture content and storage period increased. This study revealed that cassava root could be harvested, processed into mash within 12 hours and stored in a vacuum sealed polythene bag and its quality will still be intact within four weeks. Hence, vacuum sealed cassava mash has a shelf-life of four weeks under ambient conditions.