Review of the Performance of Developed Cassava Primary Processing Technologies

This study aimed to review the performance of developed cassava processing technologies to generate information for future intervention on improvement. Additionally, this work figures out the strengths, limitations, performance results, material selection, machine parameters, future areas of concentration, and other statuses related to developed cassava processing machines. Mechanizing cassava processing will greatly enhance its processing rate, quality, and quantity of products and make them more easily accessible to consumers in the market. Processing is necessary for several reasons: it reduces or removes the potentially dangerous cyanogenic glucosides found in raw cassava, serves as a preservation tool, yields goods with different qualities, and gives cassava consumers more options for their diets. The processing of cassava tubers for commercial or consumption applications employs numerous procedures such as grating, peeling, boiling, slicing, drying, fermenting, steaming, soaking, roasting, and grinding. From the review investigation, it was observed that the maximum grating capacity, efficiency and loss for developed graters were recorded as 500 kg h-1, 97% and 8.44% but the minimum grating capacity, efficiency and loss were noted as 60 kg h-1, 91.56% and 2.5%. The maximum peeling capacity, efficiency and flesh loss for developed peelers were obtained as 306 kg h-1, 95% and 5.09% whereas the minimum peeling capacity, efficiency and loss were obtained as 60 kg h-1, 70.45% and 4.3% respectively. The speed range for the developed grating machines was 650 rpm to 1500 rpm, the peeling machines were 120 rpm to 450 rpm, and the slicing machines mostly ran in the 300 rpm to 500 rpm range. Since there is a growing global demand for processed goods, it is imperative to use the most effective performing technology when processing. From the review, it was found that most of the cassava processing machines still need further redesign and improvement to achieve the desired performance results. The study states that since no cassava processing machine has yet been developed that can achieve the intended result with 100% efficiency and 0% loss, precision technology should be taken into consideration for future developments.