Abstract:
The impact of different drying techniques on the properties of yellow cassava flour and its food application was investigated in this
study. Flour was made from three cultivars of yellow cassava by solar-, hot air oven-, or drum- drying. Their functionality was
determined by standard methods, and their digestibility was evaluated in vitro. The flours were used in the preparation of fufu,
which was evaluated by sensorial and instrumental methods. The digestibility of drum-dried flours was higher (69.4–79.7%)
than solar- (60.4–70.7%) or air oven-dried flours (60.3–70.4%), whereas β-carotene concentration was higher in air oven-dried
samples compared to the others. Significant differences (p < 0 05) due to cultivar and/or drying technique were observed in the
hydration and pasting properties of the flours. Instrumental texture analysis of fufu made from yellow cassava flours showed
both drying technique and cultivar to affect the hardness, adhesiveness, and cohesiveness of the product. Acceptability scores
for the fufu ranged from 4 to 6, with a decisive preference for samples produced from drum-dried flours. The study has shown
the successful utilization of different drying techniques in the production of flour from yellow cassava variants for the
preparation of fufu.
