COLORIMETRIC METHOD FOR FREE AND POTENTIAL CYANIDE ANALYSIS OF CASSAVA TISSUE

Cassava plant accumulates a glycoside that may potentially generate cyanide whose residues remain in cassava roots and their derivatives. This article presents a simple colorimetric method that was tested with root extracts of cassava and leaves of the cultivar “Cascuda” for culinary use. The method presented results that agree with those found in the literature on similar materials. The mean values (mgHCN equivalent kg fresh basis) for free cyanide were 40.34 for cortex, 35.02 for parenchyma and 49.40 for roots (cortex + parenchyma). The potential cyanide was higher 49.40 for cortex, 39.43 for parenchyma and 45.10 entire roots. Leaves presented 49.08 as free cyanide and 63.85 as potential cyanide. The method is useful for qualitative and quantitative determination on fresh cassava tissues.