The resistant starch content of some cassava based Nigerian foods

The resistant starch (RS) content of some Nigerian cassava varieties and staples, “fufu”, “garri” and “abacha” processed from them were determined. Tubers of six varieties studied contained different concentrations of resistant starch, ranging from 5.70% in TMS 4(2)1425 to 7.07% in the TMS 30,572. Processing using traditional methods reduced the RS content in all cassava based foods compared with tubers from which they were processed. RS concentration was reduced by an average of 70.4% in “fufu”, 52.8% in “garri” and 35.85% in “abacha” for the four varieties of cassava tested. Cassava processing steps involving fermentation were responsible for the major reductions in concentration of RS. Steps involving cooking or frying, resulted in increase in concentrations of RS relative to other processing methods. Modifications of traditional methods of processing such as the addition of bitter leaf during retting or the addition of oil to mash during dewatering of “garri” affected RS concentrations in foods studied. Results of this work suggest that manipulation of processing methods and conditions employed during cassava processing can be used to improve RS concentration in cassava based foods, thus making them more functional.