Loss assessment in the production of gari from cassava (Manihot esculenta)

Author: Adabor Akosua ¹ and Richard Jinks Bani ^2*

Received 11 December 2006, accepted 20 March 2007.

Abstract

This paper reports the results of experiments carried out to establish losses that occur at the different stages in the processing of cassava into gari at both local and improved technology centres. An average loss of 6.1% occurred during cassava processing into gari at the peeling stage for local and 4.7% at improved technology centres. The grating process recorded average losses of 5.9% at both local and improved technology centers. The losses at the dewatering stage ranges from 3.0% for local and 5.6% for improved technology centres. The sifting process recorded losses of 4.3 and 5.4% for local and improved technology centres respectively. The total average loss in cassava processing into gari for local centres was 19.3% while that for improved technology centres 21.5%. A garification rate of 0.32 and 0.33 was established for local and improved technology centres respectively.

Key words: Processing, peeling, grating, dewatering, sifting, garification rate.