Development and evaluation of a cassava (Manihot esculenta) storage cum packaging system

Abstract

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) has its origins in South America. This tuber root crop has become the staple food of the economically weaker sections of these countries as this can be grown in most of the adverse climatic and in fertile soil condition. In India the major production today is still from Kerala followed by Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh where it is gaining commercial importance for the production of Sago and Starch. The shelf life of this crop starts deteriorating immediately after harvesting and becomes unmarketable within 2-3 days. Hence, this study was undertaken to develop a more practical and affordable method to increase the shelf life of cassava by keeping in mind the economically weaker sections of society worldwide. The method chosen was to store the fresh cassava roots in boxes made up of locally available materials such as (wood, plastic, plywood) and filled with easily available cheap filler materials which are within the reach of the common man. To maintain moist condition of the filler materials small quantity of water was sprinkled daily. The filler materials selected ranged from different types of soils like sand , clay and laterite soil, cheap synthetic materials like sponge and plastic cuttings, and easily available organic materials like cassava leaves, coir, saw dust and wooden shavings. For the present study, the size of the box was developed to house around 6 Kgs of the roots along with filler materials. Two locally available popular varieties of Cassava viz. M4 and Muttechi were chosen for the study. First experiment was carried out with M4 variety with nine different filler materials as explained above stored in nine wooden boxes. Quality parameters were studied periodically in a range 5 days. It was found that cassava could be stored for 40 days using wooden shavings as filler material followed by sawdust and coconut fibre for 35day. The second experiment was the repetition of the same study with another variety commonly known as Muttechi variety in Kerala. Quality parameters were studied periodically in a range 5 – 7 days. It was found that cassava could be stored for 37 days using wooden shavings as filler material followed by sawdust (32days) and coconut fibre 27days. First two experiments revealed that synthetic filler materials like sponge, plastic etc were harmful to their survival. Organic materials like cassava leaves, Sand as a filler material was good in the initial stages but could not support for longer durations.The above two experiments were conducted using wooden boxes. In order to find the impact of material of construction of box on the storage duration of cassava, a third study was done choosing three materials (wooden box, plastic box and plywood boxes). Nine boxes were used for the study (3 each for the same material). The best three filler materials coconut fibre, saw dust and wooden shavings out of nine filler materials used in first and second experiments were used in the third experiment R.H 75% and temperature was 32oC. Results of third experiment showed that the storage box played an important role more than that of the filler materials, as the roots stored in plywood box with best of the three filler materials could not survive for more than 15 days Comparing all the quality parameters it was observed that cassava roots stored in wooden box with wooden shavings as filler materials with routine replenishing of moisture by adding small quantity of water was best suited for extending the shelf life of the cassava roots up to 37 days during winter and the results could be less during summer with the extended shelf life of around 15 days. The economic analysis of the storage system was conducted and it was found for storing 1kg of cassava in the developed storage system with wooden shavings as a filler material including labour charges was Rs. 4.62/-. Hence, it can be concluded that this simple method of extending the shelf life of cassava roots by storing them in wooden boxes with wooden shavings as filler material with retention of moisture in the boxes by sprinkling small quantity of water daily is very economical, successful and easy for quick transportation.