CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Cassava (Manihot esculenta, Crantz), is one of the most important food crops in the humid tropics, being particularly suited to conditions of low nutrient availability and able to survive drought (Burrell,2003). It is a widely grown crop in most countries in the tropical regions of Africa, Latin America and Asia; and ranks as one of the main crops in the tropical countries (Calpe 2003). Among the starchy staples, cassava gives a carbohydrate production which is about 40% higher than rice and 25% more than maize, with the result that cassava is the cheapest source of calories for both human nutrition and animal feeding (Nyerhovwo, 2004).  More than two-third of the total production of cassava is used as food for humans, with lesser amounts being used for animal feed and industrial purposes (Nwokoro et al., 2002).  Nigeria alone currently produces over 14 million tonnes annually, representing about 25% of subSaharan Africa’s output (Ayodej 2005). Cassava is the third most important food source in the tropical world after rice and maize, it’s provides calories for over 160 million people of Africa (Pilsen et al.,1991).

However, processing methods such as drying  have been found to be effective ways of reducing toxicity in cassava products.

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