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May 11, 2025Keywords:
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Main Article Content
A Review of Basic Chemical Reactions Affecting the Spoilage of Cassava Roots
Abstract
Cassava is one of the major carbohydrate sources and is cultivated annually in the tropical and subtropical regions. It is drought-resistant and does well even in poor soil. The root deteriorates easily. In recent studies, the rapid deterioration of cassava root is considered an important factor in postharvest studies. The postharvest deterioration of the root negatively affects the root quality and its proper utilization. The spoilage is always dependent upon the level of mechanical damage to the root as well as genotype and environmental conditions. The basic chemical reactions leading to the spoilage of cassava roots are biochemical and physiological. These reactions affect the postharvest life of the roots. They are associated with mechanical injury occurring during harvesting, transportation, and processing, such as peeling, cutting, during which the phenolic components in the root were brought into contact with the enzymes that catalyze the reactions. Examples of the basic chemical reactions causing the spoilage of cassava roots are: (1) enzymatic browning (2) cyanogenesis (3) Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS): (4) Cellular respiration: These chemical reactions which are physiological and biochemical leads to the postharvest physiological deterioration of cassava roots rendering the roots unpalatable and unmarketable.
