Cassava, Tapioca, Manioc, Mandioc, Yuca

Botanically it is called Manihot esculenta, a member of the flowering plant family Euphorbiacea from the American tropics. It is usually grown throughout the tropical world for its tuberous roots from which cassava flour, breads, tapioca, a laundry starch and even an alcoholic beverage are derived. Cassava first originated at Yucatan and later was introduced in other parts of the world. A cyanide producing sugar derivative is also found in the roots in most varieties. Primitive peoples developed a complex refining system to remove the poison by grating, pressing and heating the tubers.

It is a perennial with conspicuous, almost fan­shaped leaves (like castor bean) but more deeply parted into 5 to 9 lobes. The fleshy roots are reminiscent of dahlia tubers. Ceara rubber is produced from a specie called Manihot glaziovil in Brazil. Food items such as the glatinous fufu of West Africa and the baumi mush of Jamaica come from cassava. Additional cassava products include an alcoholic huverage made by Indians in South America. The powdery cassabe cakes of Yucatan and tapioca are the only cassava products available in Northern markets.

Benefit and uses of Cassava, Tapioca.

• It is used directly, made into a group of baked or gelatinized products or manufactured into glucose, dextrins and other products.
• The cassava root of the green-branched variant requires treatment to remove the toxin.
• Cassava flour (tapioca flour) is commonly used as a food thickener, and is also used as a binder in pharmaceutical tablets.
• Plant have already been used to eradicate brain tumours in laboratory rats.
• Manioc root is easily digestible and makes a suitable, low-protein food for convalescence. The bitter variety may be used to treat scabies, diarrhea, and dysentery. Manioc flour may be used to help dry weeping skin.