High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF)
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is one of the major tuber crops locally called as Tapioca and cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The dried cassava tubers consists of about 80 to 90% carbohydrate, out of which the most important is starch which ranges from 78 to 90% on dry basis. It is also considered as a good source for minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus and is richer in calorific value compared to other tubers such as yam, potato and sweet potato.
It has nearly the same calorific value as cereals viz., wheat, rice and maize It is the third largest source of carbohydrates after rice and wheat for people all over the world and the starch content of cassava tubers varies according to varieties. Cassava has emerged as a commercial crop in India as well as other Asian countries. In India, it is cultivated about 0.20 Million hectares with a total production of 4.13 Million Tonnes and a productivity of 22.3 Metric Tonnes per hectare.
HQCF is an improved cassava flour produced using a non-traditional processing technique. It is a non-fermented, white, smooth, and odorless cassava flour processed from freshly harvested roots. Detoxification is primarily achieved through the grating, dewatering, and drying processes and is free from fermentation. This is obtained through a process of peeling, washing, grating, pressing, and drying. The major difference between traditional cassava flour and high-quality food-grade cassava flour is noticed from the colour.