Influence of Drying Methods and Soaking Media on Lafun Processed from Cassava Chips

This study investigated the influence of drying temperature and soaking media on lafun processed from dried cassava chips. Fresh cassava tubers were processed into dried chips by sun drying and oven drying (50 and 70°C). The sundried and oven-dried chips were each divided into three portions; the first portions were milled into powder form, the second portions were soaked in water at an initial temperature of 60°C and the third portions were soaked in four-day old liquor (4DOL). Swelling power (SP), bulk density, least gelling concentration, pasting properties and sensory evaluation of the flour samples were conducted. The pH of the soaking medium decreased with increased soaking time from 4.90 to 4.08, gelling concentration ranged between 13-15% and pasting temperature of the samples were between 48.81-49.66°C. Drying temperature did not influence the pH of the lafun samples. However, samples soaked in water had significantly (p<0.05) lower pH values than those soaked in 4DOL. The SP (99.76 to 553.09%) increased with increased temperature.

Sensory evaluation showed that lafun samples from dried chips were preferred more than the commercial sample. Soaking in water at an initial temperature of 60°C gave the better results than soaking in 4DOL. The study concluded that Lafun of good sensory and pasting properties can be processed from dried cassava chips.