Yemisi Izuora
The Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi, FIIRO, said disclosed its made major breakthrough in the transformation of Cassava which is now put into various uses and enhancing nutritional value.
Speaking when she received delegates and Cassava processors from Liberia in Lagos, the Institutes Director General, DG, Prof. Gloria Elemo said through its research and development, the Institute has not only upgraded and mechanised the traditional method of Fufu production, it has developed technology and equipment for High Quality Cassava Flour, HQCF, production.
Elemo said that traditionally, Fufu is produced in wet form with characteristic odour and a moisture content of 40-50 per cent, making it highly perishable, until it developed the mechanised option of dry granular form of moisture content below 10 per cent and without the characteristic offensive odour, thereby increasing its shelf life and making it exportable.
According to her, The first set of gari processing equipment was developed by FIIRO in the 60s and some can be found in some African countries and Brazil.
She also revealed that the Institutes development and utilization of High Quality Cassava Flour, HQCF, for Cassava wheat composite flour production for bread making received presidential attention in the year 2004, adding that various degree of Cassava flour has also been used in confectionery baking with success in collaboration with the federal ministry of agriculture.
“The Institute through Research and Development developed technology and equipment for HQCF, in bread up to 40 per cent level and confectioneries up to 100 per cent level of inclusion.
All these technology are accompanied by detailed business plan to prove its viability”, she explained.
In addition, Elemo disclosed that the Institute has been able to produce Cassava chips and pellets production which are used for animal feeds.
The DG also informed the delegates that the FIIRO was commissioned by the European Union to research on Edible Mushroom Cultivation Technology and domestication.
After completion of the project using various wastes, the Institute concentrated on the use of Cassava peel, yam peel and Cassava stalk as substrate to produce edible mushroom.
She said that the results obtained has been particularly good and that training programme is currently being run on mushroom production in the Institute.
The Institute has also acquired equipment for production of compost material for mushroom cultivation and dehumidifier for environment conditioning among other things.
In order to reduce investment on mushroom production, a thatched roof mushroom house was developed to grow mushrooms and train enterpreneurs, the DG said adding that mushroom cultivation can easily be set in the rural areas at low cost and technology made simpler.
Another major area which the Institute has transformed Cassava is the development and production of Cassava-based Adhesive.
Also, the DG said the latest products from Cassava are the composite products such as Cassava Macaroni, High density biscuits.