Quality management manual for production of high quality cassava flour

Abstract

The high quality cassava flour (HQCF) industry has just started to evolve in Africa and elsewhere. The sustainability of the growing industry, the profitability of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) that are active in the industry and the good health of consumers can best be guaranteed through the adoption of proper quality and food safety procedures. Cassava processing enterprises involved in the production of HQCF must therefore be committed to the quality and food safety of the HQCF. They must also have the right technology, appropriate processing machinery, standard testing instruments and the necessary technical expertise. This quality manual was therefore developed to guide small- to medium-scale cassava processors in the design and implementation of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) plans for HQCF production. It describes the HQCF production methods, and explains in practical terms the concept of HACCP/QACCP quality system and procedure for application to HQCF production. The procedures described in this manual should help cassava processing enterprises to implement the HACCP/QACCP system from the point of root delivery through every processing operation to marketing of high quality cassava flour ensuring that the microbiological, physical and chemical standards of the product are met. It is expected that the use of this manual will facilitate the development of the cassava processing sub-sector, assist in making HQCF meet the quality and safety limits of all categories of end users and make HQCF compete favorably with imported products. It will also aid regulatory agencies in different cassava-growing countries to set achievable quality objectives for HQCF