Manihot utilissima – Famine Foods

Manihot utilissima

Synonym(s):
Manihot esculenta

Uses

Gabon (French Equatorial Africa): the rind of the manioc is eaten during times of famine. It is prepared similarly to manioc itself. The rind is cut into small pieces and washed in running water for one or two days to detoxify it. The pieces are then either smoke-dried, or sun-dried. They are then cooked in a sauce of palm-oil. Before this second cooking, however, the pieces are carefully soaked in water which gives them a spongy consistency similar to mushrooms. Sudan (Tukma, southern Kordofan): flour prepared from the dried tuber; used as a substitute for sorghum and for the preparation of porridge and kisra (a flat bread), after extensive boiling to remove cyanogenic glucosides.

Additional Information

Name Authority:
Pohl.
Vernaculars:
Gabon: Ingwese, Aloti. Sudan (Arabic): Bafra
Misc:
Chemical composition (after Abdelmuti): Protein (crude) = 3.0% (dry). Fat = 1.0% (dry). Fibre (crude) = 4.3% (dry). Ash = 3.3% (dry). Carbohydrate (soluble): Starch = 75.5% (dry). Sucrose = 2.8% (dry). D-glucose = 1.9% (dry). D-fructose = 2.2% (dry). Amino acids (g [16g N]-1): Aspartic acid - 5.0g. Threonine = 2.0g. Serine = 3.0g. Glutamic acid = 10.0g. Proline = 7.3g. Glycine = 2.7g. Alanine = 3.7g. Valine = 3.3g. Cysteine = 0.7g. Methionine = 0.7g. Isoleucine = 2.0g. Leucine = 3.7g. Tyrosine = 1.7g. Phenylalanine = 2.0g. Lysine = 2.7g. Histidine = 2.0g. Arginine = 4.0g.

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