The acceptability of five varieties of cassava for Ghanaian food uses based on their pasting characteristics

Abstract

The pasting characteristics of the starches and flours obtained from five varieties of cassava with the aim of evaluating their suitabilities for use in some Ghanaian paste-like food products were investigated. The flour samples were obtained through dehydration of 5 mm sliced cassava and milling, whilst the starches were by the sedimentation method. The pasting temperature, peak viscosity, viscosity at 95ºC, viscosity at 50ºC, paste stability at 50 º C, and setback were the parameters investigated. Flour and starch from the cassava variety Yebeshie gave the highest peak viscosities 482 and 1057 BU, with equally very good setback values of 118 and 258 BU, respectively. There was very little coorerelation between the starch content and the pasting properties. These properties make cassava variety Yebeshie as being useful for paste-like food products like fufu. The starch from the Yebeshie cassava will have a greater ability to form a thicker paste. This property gave the idea of the texture and quality of the product from which the starch will be used for. For local products like fufu, a high peak viscosity and setback are desirable. Yebeshie cassava was the preferred option for paste-like local products