A process for protein enrichment of cassava by solid substrate fermentation in rural conditions

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Abstract
An artisanal static process for protein enrichment of cassava by solid‐state fermentation, developed in laboratory and tested on pilot units in Burundi (Central Africa), provides enriched cassava containing 10.7% of dry matter protein versus 1% before fermentation. Cassava chips, processed into granules of 2–4‐mm diameter, are moistened (40% water content) and steamed. After cooling to 40°C, cassava is mixed with a nutritive solution containing the inoculum (Rhizopus oryzae, strain MUCL 28627) and providing the following per 100 g dry matter: 3.4 g urea, 1.5 g KH2PO4, 0.8 g MgSO4·7H2O, and 22.7 g citric acid. For the fermentation, cassava, with ca. 60% moisture content, is spread in a thin layer (2–3 cm thick) on perforated trays and slid into an aerated humidified enclosure. The incubation lasts ± 65 h. The production of protein enriched cassava is 3.26 kg dry matter/m2tray. The effects of the variation of the nutritive solution composition and the inoculum conservation period on the protein production are equally discussed.