Detoxification of cassava during gari preparation

Summary Gari, a fermented cassava product, is widely consumed in many West African countries. The present study was undertaken to investigate the detoxification of cassava during the preparation of gari. The most important processing stages, with regard to elimination of cyanide, were the initial grating of the cassava and the final roasting of the product. The breakdown of linamarin was dependent primarily on the presence of endogenous linamarase and the lactic acid bacteria present during the fermentation were not directly involved in its hydrolysis.