Nutrient characterization of cassava plant meal

Abstract

The study assessed the nutrient profile in composite Cassava Plant Meal (CPM) with a view to enhancing its efficiency through bio-fortification. Three CPM products were developed from Tropical Manihot Species (TMS) 30572 harvested at 24 months. The sun-dried unpeeled cassava root meal, cassava leaf meal and tender cassava stem meal were mixed at ratios 2:1, 2.5:1 and 3:1 while the ratio of the leaves to tender stems was 5:1 across the three cassava plant meal products. The proximate composition, minerals, amino acids, vitamins and fatty acids contents of CPM and maize were determined. Results of proximate contents showed that CPM products had comparable crude protein and nitrogen free extract as maize. CPM products showed superiority (p <0.05) in calcium content over maize meal though maize meal was significantly higher (p <0.05) in phosphorus content compared to the three CPM products. There was significant difference (p <0.05) in the lysine, methionine, arginine, alanine, cysteine, serine and leucine contents of all CPM products and maize. Also, there was no significant difference (p >0.05) between CPM product 1 and maize meal for tryptophan, valine, proline and isoleucine. CPM products had significantly (p <0.05) higher values than maize in cholecalciferol, thiamine, niacin and riboflavin contents. In all analysed fatty acids contents, CPM products had significantly (p <0.05) higher values than maize with CPM product 1 showing superiority over other CPM products and maize. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that CPM products had comparable nutrient profile as maize with CPM product 1 comparatively better in
all evaluated nutrient profile.