Chemical and physiochemical properties of fermented flour from refrigerated cassava root and sensory properties of its cooked paste

Efforts have been made to extend the poor shelf life of cassava roots through low-temperature storage like refrigeration, but the effects of this on lafun (fermented cassava flour) had not been investigated. This study determined the chemical composition of lafun obtained from cassava roots refrigerated for 1–3 weeks and the physicochemical and sensory properties of its cooked paste. Refrigerated storage (4°C) slightly reduced the whiteness of lafun and appearance of the cooked paste. Lafun from refrigerated cassava roots showed similar titratable acidity values (approx. 0.53%), but varying pH values (4.10–5.25). Carbohydrate was the major macro-component of lafun (approx. 84%), while calcium (40.13–60.11 mg/100 g), sodium (39.60–48.70 mg/100 g), magnesium (20.12–40.99 mg/100 g), and potassium (24.92–32.01 mg/100 g) were the major minerals. An increase in the swelling index and peak viscosity of lafun suggests an alteration in starch composition due to refrigeration. Cooked paste from lafun prepared from refrigerated cassava showed comparable quality with the control