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Cyanogenic potential of fresh and frozen cassava on retail sale in three Irish cities: a snapshot survey
Author(s) -
O'Brien Gerard M.,
Weir Ruth R.,
Moody Kirsty,
Liu Phoebe W. S.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
international journal of food science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.831
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1365-2621
pISSN - 0950-5423
DOI - 10.1111/ijfs.12155
Subject(s) - parenchyma , horticulture , irish , chemistry , zoology , toxicology , botany , mathematics , biology , linguistics , philosophy
Summary Imported cassava roots can be found on retail sale in several I rish cities and towns. Fresh roots ( n = 36 roots) and peeled frozen root pieces ( n = 28 packs) were randomly purchased from five retailers in Belfast, Dublin and Limerick and assayed for cyanogenic potential ( CN p). Total CN p of fresh root parenchyma varied from 37.5 to 242.9 mg kg −1 as HCN , dry weight basis – dwb), averaging 104.4 mg kg −1 HCN (dwb). Total CN p of frozen root parenchyma ( n = 28 packs) ranged from 28.5 to 258.6 mg kg −1 HCN (dwb), averaging 81.7 mg kg −1 HCN (dwb). Around 78% of fresh roots, and 93% of packs of frozen parenchyma, complied with the Codex Alimentarius definition of ‘sweet’ cassava, but most (86.1% and 64.3%, respectively) exceeded European Union NETTOX recommendations for total CN p. In around one‐third of frozen parenchyma packs, nonglycosidic cyanogens accounted for 83–100% of total CN p. The toxicological implications are briefly discussed.