CASSAVA CHIPS AS NON-COMPLEX ENTRY INTO CASSAVA FLOUR PRODUCTION


If one is able to produce a crispy zero fermented cassava chips, it is just a step away from producing High Quality Cassava Flour - with lower set up and production cost. This requires that the freshly harvested tuber is instantly processed through be peeling, chipping, washing and accelerated dehydration. When this chips is produced, the next step is to simply dry mill to flour with hammer mill or attrition mill.

Cassava Flour produced using high quality cassava chips tend to have higher starch content because it does not undergo dewatering/pressing unlike the regular type in which the grated wet mash needs to firstly dewatered before passing through flash dryer for dehydration. The higher starch content is an advantage in many cases.

Ability to completely dehydrate the wet chips within a period 4-6 hours is always the bottle neck in the production of quality grade cassava chips suitable for good quality food grade cassava flour. This can only be achieved through the usage of mechanical dehydrator; specifically a highly effective Cabinet Dryer. In this regard, consideration of operational economics of the dehydrator is equally essential.

Exposure to well circulated hot air of between 50 - 55 degree centigrade; lower enough to prevent starch gelatinization, for a period of 4 - 6 hours is enough to deplete the cyanide content to a regulatory level allowed in food production.

Also, if we are to pursue production of modified flour, suitable for composition in baking and confectioneries production, the biological modification is easier/less complex to achieve with processed chips, which is then milled into flour.

Since this production process is mostly taking place in rural areas with no supply of electricity, it is important one carefully consider most economic options of heat source and means of powering the heat exchanger of the cabinet dryer.

A cabinet dryer that can be powered with 40 KVA diesel generator and with option of firewood, charcoal, palm kernel shells etc as the heat source. Dimension 10ft x 8ft x 10ft, housing close to 450 trays - made easy with trolley system can input between 2.5 - 3 tons of wet chips. If one is able to make two batches within 10 - 12 hours work period, the finished output would be worthwhile in relative with operational inputs.

Many of the cabinet dryers we see on display are not only very expensive (like the flash dryer that is scaring us) but are also of low input capacity, which make them not suitable for this kind of industrial production. Also, many are not made with real economics of cassava business in mind. Of course, this is not also coming that cheap.

The above expository might not be complete; which is intentional, it is just enough to be used in engaging experienced Technologists, Engineers and Technicians to achieve a breakthrough in Non-Complex Cassava Flour Production.

We are breaking ground.

God no go shame us.

Kazeem Lamidi
https:///2348100975775

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