COMPARISON OF PROXIMATE COMPOSITION, PHYSIO–MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND ECONOMICS OF PRODUCTION OF CASSAVA PELLETS DERIVED FROM CASSAVA CHIPS AND MASH

Abstract

used in this study were produced with a pelleting machine powered by a 5hp electric motor, die diameter
of 1.4cm and a fixed speed of 290rpm. Pellets samples were produced through two treatments: cassava
dough (chips) and mash. The pellet from the cassava dough (CDP) was produced by chipping, drying,
milling, conditioning then pelleting, while the cassava mash into pellets (CMP) was processed by grating,
dewatering then pelleting. Investigation into the Proximate Composition Physico- Mechanical Properties
and Economic of production of Cassava Pellets” produced from the two treatments resulted in pellets with
Moisture Contents of 10.54%, Crude Protein of 1.18%, Ash Content of 3.98%, Fibre Content of 2.05%,
Starch Content of 84.81%, and Sand Content of 0.85% for CDP and Moisture Content of 10.34%, Crude
Protein of 1.06%, Ash Content of 3.84%, Fibre Content 1.85%, Starch Content of 85.21% and Sand
Content of 0.82% for CMP respectively. These results showed a significant difference in the proximate
composition of the pellets at 5% confidence level. The durability indexes are 99.7% and 92.7% for CDP
and CMP while the hardness test showed average of 9.78N/mm2 and11.98 N/mm2 respectively indicating
that both types can withstand destructive loads; Notwithstanding that there is significance difference
between these mechanical properties of the pellets at 5% confidence level. Average lengths of 2.78cm and
2.22cm, diameters 1.28cm and 1.23cm fall within the standard for Pellets. The pellets produced from
chips and mash satisfies the standard in terms of strength, durability and proximate composition. Results
from the Economics of production showed that the fixed cost of pellets produced from cassava mash is
N3917:00 and that of cassava chips is N8500:33k. Therefore, the rate of return on investment from
cassava chips is 87.01% while that of cassava mash is 85.33%.