Quantitative evaluation of hydrogen cyanide content, chemical and functional properties of gari from Akwanga, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Ingestion of cyanohydrins has been linked to acute and chronic toxicities even death on several occasions in Nigeria. The need for periodic evaluation of cassava based food products to ensure compliance to standard specifications is therefore imperative. This study was conducted to investigate the concentration of hydrogen cyanide and other quality parameters of gari samples collected from Akwanga main market in the month of July, 2019. A total of 21 samples of gari (16 white and 5 yellow varieties) were collected using systematic random sampling techniques. Hydrogen cyanide, proximate compositions, physicochemical and functional properties were carried out following standard procedures.  Results showed that white and yellow gari contained hydrogen cyanide in the range of 3.68–19.37 mg/kg and 13.32–16.17 mg/kg respectively. High moisture (11.38–16.74%) and crude fibre (1.51–3.44%) contents were recovered in some white gari and all the yellow gari samples. The results obtained for pH (4.44–5.95) and titratable acidity (0.11–0.67%) indicated low acid concentrations in both gari varieties. The bulk density, water absorption capacity, swelling index and least gelation capacity varied significantly in white and yellow gari samples as from 0.12–0.87 g/mL, 4.06–5.40 mL/g, 0.47–4.40 and 3.00–6.70% respectively. The concentrations of hydrogen cyanide in all the samples were higher than maximum value (2.0 mg/kg) considered as National Standard Specifications for gari coupled with high moisture contents above the safe level which might predispose them to mould growth that could render them unsafe for human consumption.