DailyCelestialChallenge Saturday-Agriculture

Cassava or cassava is native to central South America and has long been grown in most of the tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas. It was also introduced successfully in African nations with similar weather conditions, and although it is estimated that varieties today are the effect of artificial selection, there are varieties generated by the geographical isolation of the forest (casabe, which is highly poisonous). of the highlands (yucca, minimally poisonous).

The presence of cyanogenic elements, such as linamarin in the root, makes the same sea unusable and poisonous in some varieties, without prolonged cooking, necessary to reduce the rigidity of the pulp. Although the variety called Manihot aipi (sometimes considered a subspecies of M. esculenta) contains high concentrations of poisonous elements, these disappear when boiled.

Alternatively, the root can be grated raw, after which it is pressed to extract the potentially toxic juice (containing hydrocyanic acid - HCN). Once dried to fire or sun, it is milled to obtain a fine and delicate flour from which is obtained, by sedimentation, the starch of the cassava and from this the tapioca, also called cassava, is obtained. By this process even "bitter" varieties that are high in toxins are made edible. Certain African cultures macerate the root in water until its fermentation to eliminate the toxins before drying and grinding.

The fresh root must be consumed in a short term, since due to its high content of starches it is rapidly decomposed by the action of various microorganisms. Frozen or vacuum packed, it is kept in good condition for months.