Characteristics and Appropriateness of Made-in-Ghana Equipment for Safe Processing of Cassava

Introduction: Cassava contains poisonous hydrogen cyanide. However, when well processed it serves as safe cheap source of edible carbohydrate. This study assessed the appropriateness of the available made-in-Ghana cassava processing equipment, the constraints and bottlenecks of the equipment manufacturers, the opinion of users of the equipment, and the effect of the equipment on safety of processed cassava.

Methodology: Snowball sampling technique was used to select forty-eight (48) cassava processing equipment manufacturers and sixty-three (63) users of the equipment across the country and open ended questionnaires were used to solicit information on the characteristics of the manufactured equipment, the manufacturers’ constraints and bottlenecks, and the users’ opinion of the equipment. Hydrogen cyanide content in cassava dough and pressed cake from the locally manufactured graters were measured and compared statistically.

Results: Eleven categories of made-in-Ghana cassava processing equipment were identified together with their technical specifications. Majority (92% and 77%) of the manufacturers were found to produce cassava graters and screw press respectively and about half of the users (51%) of the cassava processing equipment were satisfied with how they are functioning. The minimum cyanide content found in the cassava dough and pressed cake were 20.92 mg/Kg and 17.08 mg/Kg respectively.

Conclusion: Most of the cassava processing equipment was not made of stainless steel material. A greater number of the users of these equipment were not satisfied with the durability, efficiency, robustness and post-sale services provided by the manufacturers. The cassava processing equipment manufactured in Ghana was in various ranges and their operation facilitated the removal of poisonous hydrogen cyanide from cassava for safe consumption.

Practical Application: The overall outcome of this study will assist processors to select appropriate equipment for processing safe cassava products. It will also help policy makers and researchers to come up with effective interventions that will build the capacity of manufacturers to ensure the manufacture of appropriate equipment to process safe cassava products.