1

PRODUCTION AND MINERAL EVALUATION OF CASSAVA AND

PLANTAIN FLOUR (A COMPARATIVE STUDY)

BY

ADAMS EDITH YEBO

2019/128915AN

ND II

THE DEPARTMENT OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS

SCHOOL OF APPLIED AND NATURAL SCIENCES
THE FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC,
P.M.B. 55, BIDA,
NIGER STATE.

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE REQUIREMENT OF THE

AWARD OF NATIONAL DIPLOMA (ND) IN NUTRITION AND

DIETETICS

OCTOBER, 2022

i
 DECLARATION

I ADAMS EDITH YEBO with matriculation number 2019/128915AN declared that this project
work titled "Production And Mineral Evaluation Of Cassava And Plantain Flour (A
Comparative Study)" was conducted solely by me, under the supervision of Mr. Oleka Uchenna
Emeka in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of National Diploma in Nutrition
and Dietetics.

_______________________ __________________

ADAMS EDITH YEBO Date

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 APPROVAL PAGE

This project work has been supervised and approved and thereby certified to have met part of the

requirements for the award of National Diploma (ND) in Nutrition and Dietetics Department of

the Federal Polytechnic Bida, Niger State.

Mr. Emeka Uchenna Oleka Date

Project Supervisor

Mrs. F.O Gbadamosi Kolo Date

Head of Department

External Moderator Date

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 DEDICATION

I dedicate this project to God Almighty Jehovah, for making me what I am today, and has been

guiding, supporting, protecting and making this project work a success. I also dedicate this to my

late loving and caring father, Mr. David Usman, my wonderful mother Grace Adams for her

financial support and encouragement.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

When kindness cannot be paid back, it should be appreciated. My sincere gratitude goes to God
Almighty Jehovah who is the master planner, for giving me the knowledge, wisdom, provision,
opportunity, love and strength in writing this project work despite all the challenges I have
encountered during the completion of my ND program in Federal Polytechnic Bida which was
successful.

I want to express my profound gratitude to my supervisor, Mr Oleka Uchenna Emeka whose high
sense of direction, guidance and immense contribution ensured the success of my project, Sir, you
are indeed a rare gem and I will forever remain grateful to you.

I wish to acknowledge and express my gratitude to my (H.O.D) Mrs. F.O. Gbadamosi Kolo and
all departmental staff for their moral and educational instructions which they have impacted in my
life, you are all indeed parents to all students, and I am grateful.

My undiluted appreciation goes to my loving mother Mrs. Grace Adams for her care, love,
prayers and support, even though she is the only one left alone, she stood as the man of the house.
You have given me the greatest legacy any mother can give his/her child. My earnest prayer is
that God should continue to bless and keep you alive to see and enjoy the fruit of your labour.

Finally, my special regards to my squads, Taiye, Janet and Binta, I say a big thank you to you all
for making the period of this program a memorable one.

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 ABSTRACT

Unripe plantain and cassava were purchased in old market Bida, Niger state. The plantain and
cassava samples were divided into three different portions with coded alphabet A, B and C. After
which they were washed, peeled sliced, subjected to oven drying at 60° for 24 hours, dry milled,
sieved and eventually processed to flour. The coded samples A B and C were statistically
analyzed to help determine the mineral and evaluate the kind of ratios and proportion of mineral
present in them. The result obtained as shown on table 4.1 indicated that the quality of calcium
obtained in cassava showed a significant difference (P> 0.5) 3.87% than that obtain in sample A
(3.64%) respectively. The value of Mg Fe, and Mn obtained in sample B (cassava flour) were
significantly higher (P> 0.05) when put in comparison with sample A (plantain). Sample
contained higher quantity of Na (1.74%), P (33.65%) and Cu (0.03) when compared to sample A.
In addition, this research study elaborate more, giving more comprehensive details on benefit of
minerals obtained from sample A and B such that Mg, Mn, Ca and phosphorus are very essential
in the formation and development of bone, muscles, tissues, ligaments and tendons. Fe and K
which were also obtained from both sample A and B play a crucial role in the formation of
hemoglobin and augments blood clothing capacity.

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

Title Page i

Approval page ii

Circulation iii

Dedication iv

Acknowledgement v

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Background of the Study 1

1.2 Statement of Problem 3

1.3 Justification 4

1.4 General Objective 4

1.5 Specific Objective 4

1.6 Scope of Study 4

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review 5

2.1 Cassava 5

2.1.1 Nutrients in Cassava 8

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2.2 Plantain 9

2.2.1 Health Benefits of Plantain 12

2.3 Plantain flour 14

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Materials and Method 15

3.1 Materials 15

3.2. Sample Collection 15

3.3 Preparation of Samples 15

3.4 Production of plantain flour 15

3.5 Preparation of Cassava Flour 17

3.6 Mineral Analysis 17

3.7 Statistical Analysis 17

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 Result and Discussion 20

4.1 Mineral Composition of the Samples 20

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 Conclusion and Recommendations 22

5.1 Conclusion 22

5.2 Recommendations 22

REFERENCES

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 CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Cassava (manihotesculentacrantz) and plantain (musaparasidiacal) are staple foods for millions

of people living in Africa (Onyenwoke, and Simonyan, 2014).They are ranked among the top

three most reliable foods consume in Nigeria. These crops are rich in carbohydrates and also

certain essential minerals (Omohimi, Ferraro and Roriz, 2019). Apart from being staple foods for

millions of people, diabetic patients in Nigeria rely on unripe plantain meal to reduce post

pyramidal glucose level.

In order to drastically reduce post-harvest losses, increase product shelf life and meet high

demands of these staples which have high moisture content they are usually processed into edible

flour. Processing methods and varieties of cassava, plantain and yam could influence proximate

composition of flour derived from these crops (Arinola, Ogunbusola, and Adebayo, 2016).

In recent times, patronage of edible flours in Nigeria market is on the increase. Therefore

ascertaining nutritional composition of commercially available edible flour is important. As a

diet, plantain is an affluent source of carbohydrates with calorific value of 67 calories per 100g

and is one of the most well liked and widely traded fruit across the world. It is highly nutritious

and is more easily digested.

Due to rampant health issues there is need for the development of nutritional rich food which

which will be required to prevent protein energy malnutrition (PEM) in every individual from

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childhood to ages. A worldwide prevalence of diabetes is predicted to increase from 382 million

to 592 million by the end of 2035, and approximately 10% of the population will have diabetes.

Musa paradisiaca (Plantain) is a major and beneficial starchy staple food which belongs to the

musaceae family, also known as Ogadejioke (Igbo), Ogede Agbagba, (Yoruba), and Ayaba

(Hausa) across diverse languages in Nigeria, which is cultivated mainly in the tropical (hot) and

sub-tropical regions of the world. Plantain is a seasonal and highly perishable crop that is

available during the period of September to February, which is dependent on available water and

soil contents like excess fruiting has led to immerse food wastage as it does not survive for long

period of time without processing for other food sources or utilization (Lamptey et al., 2019; Oko

et al., 2015).

In Nigeria and other countries, processing of plantain is done either by roasting, boiling, frying,

drying, and pulverize to flour, which is used as different food sources all year round due to its

high nutritive content such as iron, zinc, sodium, calcium, and potassium for prevention of high

blood pressure and muscle cramp, in relation to its high fiber content, which can mitigate

cholesterol increase, relieve constipation and prevent colon cancer exposure to human health

(Borges et al., 2019,2020). As a result of food security, seasonal unavailability and limitation of

the food crop utilization by populace; drying is mostly utilized for increasing the shelf life of

plantain so as to maintain sustainability and food availability all year round (Baiyeri et al., 2011;

Okareh et al., 2015).

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Plantain flour is reported to have anti-ulcer activity which is attributed to active ingredients

flavonoid leucocyanidin. Furthermore, consumption of plantain flour has also shown Anti-

atherosclerotic activity in rats and has been noted to reduce systolic blood pressure in humans.

The incorporation of plantain flour into foods has been encouraged due to its relatively high

resistant starch which has being recommended for dietary management of diabetes mellitus and

other related diseases. Mature plantain pulp is very rich in iron, potassium, vitamin A and

ascorbic acid but low in protein. Cassava is a consistent and inexpensive food source assuring the

global food security by providing the carbohydrates dietary requirements of the people especially,

in the low income countries. Cassava has many applications in the product diversification,

varying from food to nonfood products

1.2 Statement of Problem

Micronutrient is still a major public health significant in developing countries which contributes

to 50% mortality. Several efforts have been taken such as supplementation, fortification and

dietary diversification to combat this problem. These problems are further aggravated by the

menace of epidemic disease that increases the number of vulnerable population. However during

post-harvest, most fruit and vegetables (plantain) are lost due to climatic condition that

accelerates the ripening process before it gets to the market. Therefore, it is important to find out

the nutritional composition of plantain and cassava within Bida metropolis compared to already

existing standard value of these food crops (Onyegbado et al., 2004).

1.3 Justification

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Plantain and cassava is among the most important food crops in sub-Saharan Africa and serves as

one of the major staple to more than 70 million in the region most especially Nigeria (Olorunda,

and Adelusola, 2017), Plantains are good source of vitamin and minerals which helps to build up

immune system and scavage free radicals. Vitamin A can also be found in plantain that Enhance

sight. Thus evaluation of mineral composition of these food crops produced in Bida will give an

insight on nutritional value compare to already existing standard in the market.

1.4 General Objective

The general objective of this study is to carry out a comparative study on the mineral composition

of cassava and plantain flour.

1.5 Specific Objective

 To produce cassava and plantain flour.

 To determine the mineral composition of these samples

1.6 Scope of Study

This research work is based on flour production from cassava and plantain and their comparative

study on mineral composition.

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 CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review

2.1 Cassava

Cassava (manihot esculenta) is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and

subtropical region for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates. Cassava

is predominantly consumed in boiled form, but substantial quantities are used to extract cassava

starch called tapioca. Cassava is one of the most drought tolerant crops, capable of growing on

marginal soil. Nigeria is one of the largest producer of cassava.it is classified as either sweet or

bitter like other roots and tuber. Both sweet and bitter varieties containing anti nutritional factor

and toxins with the bitter varieties containing much larger amount. Improper preparation of

cassava can leave enough residual cyanide to cause acute cyanide intoxication, goiters and even

ataxia, partial paralysis or death (Montagnac, et al., 2009).

The cassava crop has a wide adaptability and produces yield in various agro-ecological and

agronomic conditions (Mesut and Ahmet, 2002). El-Sharkawy (1993) reported yields as high as

90 t ha−1 obtained in experimental trials of some improved cassava cultivars under near-optimum

climatic conditions in Colombia. The global production of cassava in 2014 was 278.7 million

tons with an estimate of 281 million tons for 2015 and 288.4 million tons for 2016 (FAO, 2016).

Cassava is a major stable crop in Africa because of its relative high productivity under conditions

of erratic rainfall and low-fertility soils. 250 million Africans depend on cassava as food, with

more than 90% of the 117 million tons produced in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in 2007 being used

for fresh consumption and processed food (Philips, 2006). There is no doubt that cassava output
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in Nigeria has increased tremendously from 59 million tons in 2017, to 60 million tons in 2018

making Nigeria the highest producer of cassava in the world (FAOSTAT, 2019). This is

approximately 20% of global production with a 37% increase in the last decade. Nigeria exports

about 3.2 million tons annually and earned about $136 million (FAOSTAT, 2019). The

increasing importance of cassava (Manihot esculenta) among crops grown in Nigeria is not only

connected to its increasing demand as food but also as food security (FAO, 2018).

Cassava remain an important source of dietary carbohydrate and staple food crop for many

Nigerians today (Abdulahi, 2003), by supplying about 70% of the total calorie intake of Nigerian

(Nneoyi et al., 2008). Due to many initiatives and support programs, the growth of cassava

production in Nigeria reached incredible numbers. Cassava is an important source of starchy food

in tropical regions, apart from its use as a major source of carbohydrate. The industrial use of

cassava is very versatile and its derivatives and starch are applicable in many types of products

such as foods, confectionery, pharmaceutical, sweeteners, glues, plywood, textiles, paper,

biodegradable products in crude oil exploration and drugs. Cassava chips and pellets are used in

animal feed and alcohol production (Balagopalan, 2002).

Some cassava root constitute moisture (80%), starch (34%), minerals (3%), fiber (3%) and

protein (2%) (AOAC, 2010). Moisture content affects the process, shelf-life, usability and quality

of the cassava product. Accurate moisture content determination therefore plays a key role in

ensuring quality in many industries including Food, Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals. Many

varieties contain a substance called cyanogenic glucosides that can generate cyanide in the

storage roots, which is toxic, though could be reduced if adequately processed (Bokanga et al.,

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2014). At harvest of cassava tubers, the amount of hydrocyanic (HCN) acids varies from

harmless to lethal. The lethal dose of HCN is 50mg/kg fresh weight. Hydrolysis of Cryogenic

glycoside by the enzyme can be accelerated through the various processing techniques by soaking

the roots in water, by crushing or cutting them or by heating.

The demand for cassava roots and products are high and fast rising. However, the current

production is far from being able to meet the food and industrial need of the geometrically

growing population in the sub region (FAO, 2018). This therefore call for concentrated national

policy action and continuous research particularly breeding for high yielding, early maturing and

pest / disease resistant cassava varieties since the land area for cultivation is diminishing as a

result of growing population and urbanization. Cassava though, is among the crop whose

production level has tripled over the past 50 years while its development has been further

advanced through ongoing Cassava breeding programme and research in the sub region which is

champion by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan, Nigeria. The main

objective of breeding programme is to develop varieties superior to those currently cultivated by

farmers, especially for the economically or biologically important traits such as high yielding,

high starch content, low cyanogenic glycoside, earliness to maturity, and not limited to pest and

disease resistance / tolerance (Fakuda et al., 2002). IITA has therefore since 1980 continued to

release and distributed more improved productive new varieties that are high yielding as well as

resistant to a number of diseases, pests, and drought (Dixon et al., 2010). However, some of these

released varieties have been reported to lose their resistance or heritable traits after a number of

years of cultivation in some parts of Nigeria due to resistance pressures or climate changes

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(Brush and Perales, 2007; Dimkpa et al., 2021). Dhaliwal et al. (2013) reported that global

warming may result in breakdown of resistance to certain insect pests and also natural enemies of

pest species which may not be limited to heritable qualities of the crop.

Cassava flour and Cassava tuber

2.1.1 Nutrients in Cassava

A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of cooked cassava root contains 191 calories. Around 84% of

them come from carbs, while the rest come from protein and fat. One serving also provides some

fiber and a few vitamins and minerals

The following nutrients are found in 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of cooked cassava

 Calories: 191

 Protein: 1.5 grams

 Fat: 3 grams

 Carbs: 40 grams

 Fiber: 2 grams

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  Vitamin C: 20% of the Daily Value (DV)

 Copper: 12% of the DV

 Thiamine: 7% of the DV

 Folate: 6% of the DV

 Vitamin B6: 6% of the DV

 Potassium: 6% of the DV

 Magnesium: 5% of the DV

 Niacin: 5% of the DV (Lamptey, et al., 2019).

Cassava root is particularly high in vitamin C, an important vitamin that acts as an antioxidant,

supports collagen production, and enhances immunity, among other benefits Plus, it’s rich in

copper, a mineral necessary for neurotransmitter synthesis, energy production, iron metabolism,

and more (Guariguata et al., 2013).

2.2 Plantain

Plantains are rich source of complex carbohydrates, vitamin and minerals and are easily

digestible. As a staple food, plantains have been a main fare of millions of people for centuries.

Plantains are poor source of protein and fat, so they only represent one part of a healthy balance

diet similar to many grains. Fiber is important because it promote bowel regularity. Fiber softens

your stool and increases it overall size and weight. Eating a high fiber diet may also reduce your

risk of hemorrhoids and small pouches in your large intestine know as diverticulitis (Essien et al.,

2017). Fiber also increases fullness, slows digestion and may help manage cholesterol. The high

9
amount of potassium found in plantain is essential for maintaining the cells and body fluids that

control your heart rate and blood pressure. The fiber in plantain also lowers your cholesterol

which in turn keeps your heart functioning at its best (Odetunde, et al., 2014).

Plantains (Musa parasidiaca) is one of the important staple food crops consumed in the tropics

behind rice, wheat and maize and are obtainable in about 120-130 tropical countries in the world

(Kawongolo, 2013). It is an essential food crop in sub-Sahara Africa that serves as source of

nutrient and household income for many people around the world (Kawongolo, 2013). The

aggregated world production is put at over 76 million metric tons (Olumba, 2014), out of which

over 12 million metric tons are harvested yearly in Africa (Fakayode et al., 2011).

Sizeable tons of plantains are harvested in Nigeria annually and Nigeria is the biggest producer of

plantains in West Africa with an estimated production of about 2.7 million metric tons, majority

of which are produced and harvested from the southern part of the country (FAO, 2009) In spite

of large tons of plantains harvested yearly in Nigeria, (Olorunda and Adelusola, 2017) reported

that over 50% of plantains harvested are lost due to unavailability of appropriate storage facilities

to prevent postharvest losses. These large productions and post-harvest losses necessitate the

need to develop new and suitable technologies for processing and preservation of plantain flour

for time to come. Usually harvested at matured but unripe stage, plantains undergo rapid

respiration after harvest, making it a short lived agricultural product that requires urgent attention

immediately after harvest. Plantain may therefore be processed into flour when it is matured but

not ripe. Traditionally, sun drying is the common method used in processing plantains into flour.

However, there are some problems associated with sun drying such as slowness of the process,

10
uncertainty of the weather and uneven drying (Arinola et al., 2016). (Falade, 2010) reported that

drying is one of the best methods in terms of cost efficiency to preserve plantain flour in other to

have plantain product with considerable shelf stability. Drying serves as a suitable and cheap

means for removing water from plantain which adds value to plantain and this result in

production of convenience product having suitable shelf life (Demirel and Turhan, 2003).

Plantain

2.2.1 Health Benefits of Plantain

 Reduction of Harmful Free Radicals
Free radicals are either made when our bodies break down food or are exposed to harmful

elements like tobacco smoke and other radiations. They play a huge role in premature aging,

diseases, and cancer (Philip, 2006).

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However, findings from numerous studies have shown that vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights

free radical damage. And with a serving of plantains providing over 35 percent of the vitamin C

needed per day, plantains have been dubbed to be one of the best vitamin C foods around

(Olumba, 2014).

 Good for Weight Loss and Boosts Sexual Performance

Its high fiber content, essential vitamins and minerals make it good for weight loss and reducing

cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that the nutrients contained in plantain can help improve

sexual performance through increased libido. In addition, eating plantain on a regular can also

improve male fertility, thicker sperm, and volume. Food recipes such as unripe plantain (roasted

or boiled) with ginger and garlic are wonderful when it comes to matters that concern sexual

performance (Kawongolo, 2013).

 Great for the Heart and Good Source of Potassium

Recent studies have shown that eating plantain is very good for the heart because plantain has

been shown to contain some amount of serotonin. And serotonin, on the other hand, helps to

dilate the arteries, improve blood flow, and reduces the risks of homocysteine (artery diseases and

stroke) (Onyenwoke and Simonyan, 2014)

Plantain helps to prevent heart attack and hypertension. The fiber contained in it also helps in

reducing cholesterol level; thus reducing the risk of heart disease.

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  Strengthens the bones and prevent ulcer

When it comes to strengthening our bones, stronger muscles, nails and teeth, calcium is the

essential needed mineral. And unripe plantain is very rich in calcium which helps to prevent

osteoporosis: the weakening of bones

Findings from various conducted studies show that unripe plantain contains properties such as

leucocyanidin which can prevent an ulcer (Fakude, et al., 2002).

2.3 Plantain flour

Plantain flour is the product of dried and pulverized plantain slices. Plantain is rich in vitamins

most especially Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and carotene and its low-fat content makes it a delight

for people suffering from cholesterol related ailments such as obesity, diabetes, gallstone e.t.c.

(Eleazu et al., 2016)

Plantain flour

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 CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Materials and Method

3.1 Materials

Plantain

Cassava

3.2. Sample Collection

The plantain and cassava sample was bought from old market Bida Niger State Nigeria.

3.3 Preparation of Samples

Drying procedure for plantain

The plantain was dried according to the method of (Mesut and Ahmet, 2002) method. The

matured green plantain was washed peeled and sliced longitudinally into chips of about 5 and 10

mm thick and placed on an aluminum foil drying trays. The sample was dry in the oven at 60 0C

for 24hrs. The dried sample was packaged in a high density polyethylene bag at room

temperature prior to production of flour.

3.4 Production of plantain flour

Plantain flour was produced according to the method of (Arinola et al., 2016) as shown in Figure

3:1. The plantain samples were milled using a laboratory blender and passed through 100 um

sieve. The plantain flour was packaged in high density polyethylene bags and kept until required

for laboratory analyses.

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 Unripe Plantain

Washing

Peeling

Slicing

Drying (60° for 24 hours)

Milling

Sieving

Unripe plantain flour

Packaging

Fig 3:1 Flow chart for plantain flour production

Source: (Arinola et al., 2016)
3.7 Preparation of Cassava Flour

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All cassava was washed and peeled, then re-washed after peeling. The peeled Cassava was cut

into slices. Cassava slices was placed on an aluminum foil drying trays. The sample was dry in

the oven at 600C for 24hrs. The dried sample was packaged in a high density polyethylene bag at

room temperature prior to production of flour.

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 Cassava tuber

Washing

Peeling

Washing

Drying (60° for 24 hrs)

Milling

Sieving

Cassava flour

Packaging

Fig 3:2 Flow chart of Cassava Flour Production

Source: (Arinola et al., 2016)

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3.6 Mineral Analysis

Potassium and Sodium Content

Potassium and sodium content of the samples was determined by digesting the ash of the samples

with perchloric acid and nitric acid, and then taking the readings on Jenway digital flame

photometer/ spectronic20 (Bonire et al., 2019).

Phosphorus

Phosphorus was determined by Vanado-molybdate colorimetric method (Ologhobo and Fetuga,

2018) and their absorption compared with absorption of standards of these minerals.

Calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, and copper

Calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, and copper was determined spectrophotometrically

by using Buck 200 atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Buck Scientific, Norwalk United

Kingdom (UK) (Essien et al., 2017) and their absorption compared with absorption of standards

of these minerals. Chi square test was performed on the results obtained with the level of

significance set at p < 0.05.

3.7 Statistical Analysis

Data was analyzed using analysis of variance ANOVA and Duncan multiple range test to test

significant difference between means p >0.05. Data analysis was done using statistical package

for social science SPSS version 20.0.

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 CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Result obtained in table 4.1 reveals the mineral composition of plantain and cassava. The values

obtained in calcium content of the samples shows that cassava was moderately higher than

plantain following the values ( 3.87and 3.64)respectively meanwhile, the values obtained in the

calcium content of the cassava in this research fall within the by value by (AOAC, 2010), that

some cassava root constitute moisture ( 80%), starch (34%), mineral (3%) fiber (3%) and protein

(2%) further, (fakude et al., 2002) reported that plantain is very rich in calcium which helps to

prevent osteoporosis (weakness of bone)stronger muscles nails and teeth. The values in the two

samples above shows a very close correlation in the calcium content as well should be

encouraged by young and old in consuming them to reduce the common disease of calcium

malnutrition disease (osteoporosis). The values obtained in magnesium composition is

moderately high in cassava than plantain, following their mineral values (3.66 and 3.04)

respectively. The value of the samples fall within the range stated by (AOAC, 2010) on mineral

composition of root and tubers meanwhile magnesium is an active component of several enzyme

systems in which thymine pyrophosphate is a co-factor. It is also a constituent of bones and teeth

(Murray et al., 2000). The composition of the sample is good source of magnesium. The values

obtained from the sodium content of the samples shows that plantain is moderately higher than

cassava following following their respective values (1.74 and 1.34). Meanwhile, sodium is the

principal of caution in extracellular fluids. The values reviewed that the both samples contain

sodium so should be consumed to reduce any sodium malnutrition related diseases. The values

19
obtain from the potassium content shows a very close comparison, although the value in plantain

is moderately high than cassava. The high amount of potassium found in plantain is essential for

maintain the cells and body fluid that controls the heart rate and blood pressure (odetunde et al.,

2014). The deficiency symptoms reduce growth. The values obtained in the phosphorus content

of the samples range (27.20 and 33.65) plantain value was significantly (p<0.05) higher than

cassava with the value (33.65) followed the cassava (27.20) potassium and sodium are beneficial

for human health. The safe level of potassium content in cassava flour should be (4.84-6.71)

(Emurotu et al,. 2012) the values obtained in potassium content of this research is not in

agreement with a research by ( Gomes et al,. 2017) who observed (4,84 – 6.71) on the potassium

content of cassava flour. The varieties observed might be due to difference in varieties and

processing technique, alongside with fertility of the soil.

The iron (Fe) content as shown on the table 4.1clearly shows that sample B (cassava) contained

more iron when put in comparison with sample A (plantain) as sample B showed higher

significant difference (0.28) than sample A (0.13). however, the result obtained is not in

agreement with (Gomes et al.,) whom reported that iron content of cassava flour should range

between (2.95- 15.45) further research findings of (Gomes et al., ) shows that iron is important in

formation of hemoglobin, transferring, ferritine, and iron con6taining enzymes and also helps in

the transfer of different substances. Hence this study shows the fact that the level of iron in

cassava (sample B) was significantly higher than that of plantain (Sample A) with the values 0.28

in cassava and 0.13 in plantain respectively.

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Values obtained in the lead (Pb) content found in sample A (Plantain) and B (cassava) reveals

that there was no significant difference obtained. Sample A (plantain) contain (0.01) and sample

B (cassava) contain (0.01) lead content respectively as obtained from both samples. This research

findings is in agreement with (Adebayo et al.,) who reported that the quantity of lead (Pb) in

cassava and plantain flour should not exceed 1.0mg/kg.

The level of manganese (Mn) obtain in sample A (plantain) and sample B (cassava) showed no

significant difference (P.0.05), although sample B was slightly higher than sample A when put in

comparison, on basis of manganese content present in them with Sample B emerging with the

value (0.1) and sample A (0.12) respectively. This study shows manganese obtained from both

samples (A and B) are very more beneficial to health, this micro – mineral (manganese) helps in

bone formation and development this study is in agreement with (Lanlokun et al.,). The quantity

or values of copper obtain in both Sample A (plantain) and B showed no significant difference.

However sample A (plantain) emerged with the highest value (0.03) of copper (Cu) when

compared with that of sample B (0.02) respectively in the course of this research. A related study

by (Iyabo et al., 2017) revealed that the copper (Cu) content of amala (cassava flour) and plantain

flour were 0.03 and 0.04 respectively.

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 Table 4.1: Mineral Composition of the samples

Sample %Ca %Mg %Na %K %P %Fe %Pb %Mn %Cu

Plantain 3.64b ± 3.04b ± 1.74a ± 0.65a ± 33.65a± 0.13b ± 0.01a 0.1b±0.01 0.03a ±
0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.07 0.01 ±0.01 0.01

Cassava 3.87a± 0.01 3.66a ± 1.34b ± 0.34b ± 27.20b 0.28a ± 0.01a 0.12a ± 0.02a ±
0.07 0.01 0.01 ±0.14 0.01 ±0.01 0.01 0.01

Values = mean ± standard deviation of two determination, mean within the same superscript are
not significantly different (P.0.05) atb0.5% level of significance with the mineral compositions
Ca, Mg, Na, K, P, Fe, Pb, Mn, Cu. Plantain and cassava

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 CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 Conclusion

On the basis of this research findings, it was revealed that sample A and B (plantain and cassava

flour) contained similar kinds of nutrient in various ratios and proportions some of which may

include Mg, Na, k, P, Fe, Pb, Mn ,and Cu. Further research on this study, shows that the above

mentioned minerals present in plantain and cassava flour plays a very vital role in the

development and formation of bones, skeletal buildup of muscles and tissues (Mg, Pb, Mn, Cu)

as well as proper formation of hemoglobin, transferring, ferritin etc. which helps in the supply of

blood to the human body (Fe, K).

5.1 Recommendations

Numerous research findings have been conducted on production and mineral evaluation of

cassava and plantain flour as a comparative study. Therefore it is pertinent that further research

findings should be carried out on ways in which micro and macro minerals present in plantain

and cassava could be used in the enrichment of other foods so as to help alleviate the rapid

prevalence of osteoporosis and osteomalacia amongst pregnant women and adolescent girls in

Nigeria.

In addition, further research findings should also be carried out on ways in which the mineral

constituents obtained in plantain and cassava flour could be used in food fortification for both

adult and children.

23
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