Comparative study on chemical and functional properties of flours produced from selected clones of low and high postharvest physiological deterioration cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz)

The industrial usage to which flour could be put to is essentially determined by its physical, chemical and functional characteristics. This study compared the chemical and functional properties of high quality cassava flours (HQCFs) produced from low and high postharvest physiological deterioration (PPD) cassava. Wholesome four varieties of Low PPD cassava and one variety of high PPD cassava were processed into HQCFs. The flours were analyzed for chemical and functional properties. Pertinent data generated were analyzed using SPSS 25.0, Duncan multiple range tests was applied to separate significant means. Sugar, starch, amylose, cyanogenic potential, total titratable acidity and total carotenoid ranged from 4.23±0.04-5.10±0.04%, 80.54±0.57-82.30±0.15%, 31.50±0.11-33.62±0.11%, 0.02±0.00-0.51±0.01 mg/kg, 0.04±0.00-0.06±0.01% and 0.34±0.01-3.14±0.06 μg/g. Water absorption, swelling power, solubility, starch damage, oil absorption, least gelation capacity and bulk density ranged from 416.01±2.70-547.56±2.15%, 9.03±0.04-14.02±1.23, 32.63±1.21-53.62±3.31%, 3.08±0.04-3.40±0.07%, 105.19±0.55-120.56±2.06%, 7.00±1.41-13.00±1.41% and 0.53±0.01-0.66±0.01 g/cm 3 . Low PPD cassava flours studied had relatively higher water absorption, swelling power, starch solubility and high gel strength than flours from high PPD, and could find application in food industry as thickeners and pharmaceutical industry for drug delivery systems.