Technology Overview

Using bacteria fermentation, this innovative technology protects and maintains the high beta carotene content present in cassava flour. As a result, different cooking methods can be applied to the modified cassava flour (mocf) without drastic reduction of beta carotene content. The technology minimizing lost of beta carotene during heat processing and packaging, improving the quality of flour products nutritionally. The production of high beta carotene mocaf consist of several stages i.e. peeling of the cassava skin, washing, chopping into chips; soaking cassava chips in the bacteria starter solution; coating the chips in solution to protect beta carotene; by immersion in sodium metabisulfite solution; stirring; draining; drying; milling; sifting; and packaging.

Technology Features, Specifications and Advantages

Flour derived from fermented yellow cassava tubers are rich in beta carotene and protein. The flour is processed through fermentation using a commercial starter product (lactic acid bacteria) and coated with fermented chips solution to protect the loss of beta carotene. The resulting product is a yellowish fine powder, containing 1.34 – 2.65 ppm of beta carotene and 1.33 – 2.19% protein. The product can be used as a raw material of various processed food products. High beta carotene mocaf can be used as a single flour ingredient or as a blend with other flour such as rice, wheat and corn (50% - 100%).

Potential Applications

• Raw material for pastry and cakes, noodles and other flour used in processing food
• Raw material for healthy food (functional food) as it is rich in beta carotene, protein and gluten free.

Customer Benefit

• Mocaf are nutritious (beta carotene, protein) and gluten free, which can be used as raw material for healthy food
• The product is not sensitive under various cooking methods and is flexible to be applied to various types of processed food products