Technical note: The incorporation of fresh cassava into bread

Abstract

Dendy et al. (1975) have reported a number of papers on the use of cassava in breadmaking; these relate specifically to the dried products of cassava, i.e. flour and starch. The production of these is wasteful in terms of the energy required for drying, particularly since the dried products will be rehydrated during the breadmaking process.Little attention has been paid to the use of fresh cassava in bread, in spite of the potential advantage to the small baker in the less developed countries: a fresh cassava product could easily be prepared using simple equipment.Although the use of fresh cassava has not been previously reported, fresh potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) were being incorporated into bread in the United Kingdom as early as 1795 (McCance & Widdowson, 1956) and, during the Second World War, the bread regulations were amended to allow potatoes as an ingredient of the national loaf, at a time when wheat was scarce (Minister of Food, 1943).The present note describes the preparation of a product of fresh cassava, its incorporation into bread and the assessment of the finished product. Preparation of the fresh cassava productCassava tubers were obtained through the Kenya Trading Corporation and air-freighted from Nairobi. The cassava roots were washed and partially peeled with a mechanical bench peeler, peeling being completed by hand. The roots were sliced on a small slicing machine at a setting to give slices of 1 cm thickness. The slices were then minced mechanically by passing them successively through 3/8 in and 3/16 in plates. The resultant minced cassava had a moisture content of 63% as measured by the A.A.C.C. method (1969). Bread ma kingThe minced cassava was incorporated into bread at a substitution level of 20% (calculated on a 14% moisture basis). Control loaves were baked using a