Effect of the duration of fermentation on the quality of gari

Abstract: The effect of duration of fermentation on some proximate and sensory parameters was studied in bitter cassava grated and fermented traditionally for a period of five days to determine the optimum number of days of fermentation for best quality gari. The statistical design used in studying the effect of duration of fermentation on moisture content, ash content, crude fibre, crude protein, hydrogen cyanide (HCN), swelling index, HCN and crude fat was Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Standard procedures were used in the determination of all the parameters studied. A panel of thirty judges were invited for the sensory evaluation of colour, aroma and texture. The results of the study as indicated by analysis of variance show that there is highly significant effect (P#0.01) of the duration of fermentation of gari on moisture content, ash content, crude fibre, crude fat, crude protein, HCN and swelling index. The regression analysis indicates that whereas moisture content, ash content, crude fibre, crude protein, HCN and swelling index generally seems to increase with increase in duration of fermentation, HCN and crude fat decreased with increase in duration of fermentation. The study recommends that for industry application, cassava mash for gari should be fermented for at least three days. Cassava mash fermented for three days has the HCN reduced to a level tolerable for human consumption; there is an advantage of maximum swelling, in addition to desirable colour, aroma and texture