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  • Title: Low cyanide exposure from consumption of cassava in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
    Author: Mlingi N, Abrahamsson M, Yuen J, Gebre-Medhin M, Rosling H.
    Journal: Nat Toxins; 1998; 6(2):67-72. PubMed ID: 9888632.
    Abstract:
    The extent of cyanide exposure from cassava consumption was studied in low income suburbs of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Mean cyanogen levels in sun-dried root pieces called makopa was 9.4 (range 0-79) mg HCN equivalents kg(-1) dry weight. The mean glucoside and hydrogen cyanide levels were 6.4 and 3.2 mg HCN equivalents kg(-1) dry weight, respectively, while cyanohydrins were lower with a mean of 2.0 (range 0-27) equivalents kg(-1) dry weight. Food frequency interviews with 193 schoolchildren revealed that 13% of the children consumed cassava stiff porridge in the previous week. Fried cassava pieces were consumed by 82% and boiled cassava pieces by 49% of the children. The urinary thiocyanate in these children was 36 +/- 3 (mean +/- SEM) micromol l(-1) and mean urinary linamarin level was 18 +/- 1 micromol l(-1), indicating low cyanide exposure. Multiple regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between urinary thiocyanate and consumption of boiled cassava pieces as well as between urinary linamarin levels and daily intake of fried cassava pieces.
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