An
investigative report has revealed how Cyanide which a high dose of the
poison present in cassava can cause a cardiac arrest as it stops oxygen
from getting to the heart and the brain.
Garri a derivative of cassava, is one of the staple foods of
Nigerians that provide high energy to consumers. However, it exposes the
populace to possible slow cyanide poisoning if not properly processed.
Its consumption has been linked previously to sudden deaths of some
families, who, unfortunately, ingested some of the product that
contained very high dose of cyanide.
There are, however, two varieties of cassava in the country. The
sweet cassava with low cyanide level is found towards the Middle Belt
of the country, while the bitter one that contains very high level of
toxic cyanogenic glycosides are prevalent in the southern part of the
country. These cassavas are processed for consumption differently.
Cyanide is more concentrated on the skin of the sweet variety. Once
the skin is removed, it can be boiled or roasted and eaten with oil. It
has been confirmed that oil has a way of neutralising cyanide. This
process cannot be tried with the bitter one, as it will result in
instant death.
One cup of Garri is said to contain up to 360 calories. This high
energy supplying food, when properly processed, can be mixed with hot
water to form Eba, eaten with different types of soups. It can also be
eaten directly, soaked in cold water mixed with sugar and additional
condiments like roasted groundnut, fresh coconut, and dry fish.
Currently, garri producers and marketers, out of the need to make
profit, do not allow the product to go through all the processes needed
to get the cyanide to non-toxic level. Cyanide reduces the oxygen supply
to all the cells of the body and attacks every vital organ of the body.
The eyes, kidneys and the pancreas are not spared. It has also been
implicated in severe macular degeneration, which leads to blindness and
hypothyroidism, a disorder of the thyroid. Cyanide reduces the body’s
ability to produce insulin.
According Doctor Chinwe Ezirim, it has been linked to diabetes in
people that do not have any family history of such. Oxygen gives life,
so anything that reduces its supply to the cells and subsequently to the
organs is out rightly dangerous.
Symptoms of cyanide poisoning
Cyanide is very toxic but difficult to detect in many instances,
except when consumed in a fatal dose. High dose of this poison present
in cassava can cause a cardiac arrest,. as it stops oxygen from getting
to the heart and the brain. It suffocates the consumer and most of the
time leads to sudden death.
Prolonged consumption of it, in small doses, may subsequently lead
to destruction of major organs in the body and to untimely slow death.
Its symptoms include and are not limited to these: shortness of breath,
headaches, dizziness, vomiting, general weakness, abdominal pains,
confusion, bizarre behaviour, excessive sleepiness coma and seizures.
Garri, which is the granulated powdery form of cassava, has to go
through many processes to become edible. The traditional method involves
peeling and grating the cassava roots into pulp. Presently, grinding
machines are used to make the process faster. The ground pulp is then
packed into hessian bags and tied with ropes compressed tightly to
ferment and drain for not less than three days. The longer they stay in
this stake the more the cyanide is removed from the garri.
When fermented and properly dewatered, the product is untied,
sieved to remove remaining fibrous materials and then fried with red oil
over low heat in large frying pan. This step also helps to reduce the
cyanide level, reduce moisture, and preserve it. Adding the red oil
introduces Vitamin A into the garri granules.
Speaking on this, Dr. Mercy Ifeanacho of the Biochemistry Department of the University of Port Harcourt said: “The
whole essence of processing the bitter variety is to reduce the cyanide
level, which is the implicated toxic substance. In trying to do this,
we engage many processes, which depends on steps, sequence and time.
"In fermenting cassava, you peel grate and dewater. While it is
being dewatered, fermentation takes place. When we are talking about it
we should realise those micro organisms are involved. In fermentation
of garri, serial fermentation is involved.
“Some group of bacteria starts the work and lactic acid is
increased during this process. This will reduce the P.H. level of the
garri. Another set of micro organisms then takes over and further
increase the acid level reducing the P.H. The length of time will
determine the quantity of cyanide that will be removed from the cassava.
"That is why when you ferment garri for a shorter time; there will be higher cyanide retention. The level of cyanide retention is further reduced, after fermentation during roasting of product on fire. There is a chemical process that takes place between the oil added during roasting of garri and any cyanide present. The presence of red oil actually neutralises the toxic effect of cyanide in garri so red garri is safer than the white one.”
On whether fruits and vegetables flush out cyanide from our system,
Ifeanacho saids it was possible, as vegetables and fruits are loaded
with vitamins and minerals.
According to him, “the elemental nutrients are known to contain
some kind of anti-oxidants. I am not sure of the digestibility of
cyanide, but foods high in fiber have a way of pulling waste out of the
body. That way it will not allow cyanide to stay longer in the body to
cause further harm to the body.”
Giving tips on how to identify garri not properly processed properly, he said:
“Traditionally and locally, when people want to buy garri from the
market, there are ways of testing for good ones. For someone that is
economically minded, like hoteliers and owners of restaurants, they will
rather buy ones that are starchy because it tends to give more volume.
For home consumption, one should buy garri that is properly fermented.
It will show in the colour of the product. Garri that is properly
processed is not that bright, just like you have Ijebu garri.
“Taste is another indicator of the level of cyanide in a
product. If you taste it and it is sweet, that means the cyanide content
is high. When it is sour, it is an indication that it may be properly
fermented. If you press and it comes out free, it means it contains less
moisture and the cyanogens are lower in low moisture products. People
should watch out for poorly processed cassava products as they can be
very toxic.”
Also speaking on this, Dr. Ezirm said food sources that contain
high level of sulphur are good at holding on to the cyanide and taking
it out.
He said vegetables that contains allicin compound found in onions
and garlic family are also good at this, while pointing out that all
vegetables and fruits that contain anti-oxidants help the body build up
immunity and clear free radicals like cyanide.
“Fruits high in lutein, like banana, should be eaten regularly
in areas where garri is highly consumed, as they help protect the eyes
against macular degeneration,” she said, while advising that people who “love
to swallow should also look for alternative sources, like fufu, pounded
yam, unripe plantain paste or flour, combination of millet and guinea
corn flour, as it is not easy to identify the garri that is properly
processed.”
Source: The Sun
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