Journal of Food Processing & Technology

Abstract

Effect of Process Variables on Some Physical Properties and Hydrogen Cyanide Content of Dried Cassava Slices (abacha)

Ishiwu CN, Obiegbuna JE and Igwe EC

A 3-factor, 2-level full factorial experiment was designed and used to study the effect of some process variables (slice thickness, boiling time and drying temperature) on some physical properties and hydrogen cyanide content of dried cassava slices (‘Abacha’) Freshly harvested cassava roots were washed, boiled, peeled and divided into eight groups. Each group was sliced into a selected uniform thickness of 2.70 or 2.85 mm and soaked in water for 12 h at room temperature. After soaking, it was washed and rinsed twice with water before it was dried at the selected drying oven temperature of 50 or 70°C for 12h to obtain the dried cassava slices. These slices were subjected to moisture content, breaking force, swelling capacity and hydrogen cyanide content determinations. Coefficients of the factors generated from the multiple linear regression analyses were used to fit into mathematical models that could predict the response variables under the same experimental conditions. Factorial plots including main and interaction effects of independent variables on the responses were further used to explain the results. The three input variables exhibited significant effects (p<0.05) on the product characteristics.