Cassava proliferates in tropical and sub tropical regions and will readily grow on marginal and low nutrient terrain. Cassava is grown throughout sub-Saharan Africa and is mostly used for food consumption. Cassava is rich in carbohydrates, and in most countries the leaves are used in traditional cooking, providing much needed protein and vitamins. Nigeria is the world’s largest producer with approximately 34 million tonnes per annum.

Cassava is rich in starch, and a starch recovery rate of 20 – 25% is possible. Post harvest technology is extremely limited throughout sub-Saharan Africa and it is common to see large quantities of imported starch used in local industry.

Cassava starch is extremly important in both the food and non-food industries. The food and
pharmaceutical sector are large consumers of cassava starch. Both modified and unmodified starch
and glucose are used extensively.

Uses include:

• Fillers in tablets and other pharmaceutical products
• Syrup concentrate in soft drinks and canned foods
• Binding agent in processed foods
• Bakery and confectionary
• Thickeners in soups, baby food
• Sweeteners in the production of glucose, maltose, fructose and MSG

In the none-food sector cassava starch is used in the production of adhesives, corrugated cardboard, paper, textiles, building materials, laundry etc.

There is a huge demand for starch, particularly in Nigeria where most starch used in the food, pharmaceutical and industrial sector is imported. Stringent quality control in the plant is extremely important and is an integral part of our process. Unfortunately, locally produced starch and flour generally will not meet the standards of the food and pharmaceutical industries.

A captive and reliable source of supply of good quality tubers is hugely important in starch production. Yields in sub-Saharan Africa are generally about 20 metric tonnes per hectare. This can be substantially increased to well over 50 tonnes per hectare. Both the roots and tubers expansion programme and IITA offer good advice to growers and assist in increasing yield.

Benifits of our technology:

• Making full use of locally available resoures
• Poverty allevation and rural regeneration
• Discourages rural-urban migration
• Food and raw material security
• Proven post-harvest technology

Rohrex in conjunction with the National Research and Development Corporation supplies and installs a cassava starch extraction mini plant producing 20 – 25 tonnes per day of pharmaceutical and food grade starch from approximately 80 - 100 tonnes per day of cassava tubers.

• See attached flow chart:

 

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